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!

Seeing Is Believing (Nick Milef)

There’s a saying that seeing is believing, or something along those lines. So when I saw Project Glass, I realized that smart-phone-like glasses could be a cool product. But that was before I thought about the impact of this cool gadget.


For those who don’t know, Project Glass is a project by Google that deals with the development of glasses that act like smart-phones. After seeing the video, I realized how much of an impact this could have. Imagine in the future contacts that can do the same things. Eager to learn more about it, I watched a few parody videos, and then I realized how impractical this is and why this would be bad for society.

Imagine the chaos these glasses could create. For example, if you ever need a GPS you can use the glasses to show you a map of where you need to drive. That sounds cool...until you get into an accident because you weren't watching the road. Or maybe you need to find a shoe store nearby. Well, the glasses will tell you where you can find one, but then a thousand advertisements pop up around the edges of the glasses. Or maybe you need to send someone an email, but you accidentally send it without realizing that the glasses recorded someone else's conversation in the background and sends it in an email. Or maybe...

And of course no one will know you have these glasses on since they are so stylish and don't have any big rectangular areas covering one of the lenses.

Forget about privacy. Any random stranger trying to make a fashion statement with these glasses could actually be browsing through someone's Facebook profile just by looking at him or her. It's not as if that's creepy or anything.

What about the whole camera idea? Wouldn't it be fun to take pictures whenever without the need to pull out a phone or a camera? It does sound fun, but there are some drawbacks to this too. Everything will be caught on film, so everyone will live under a Big Brother-like society. While this can help with law enforcement, I could see myself worrying over everything I say because all of that will have probably been recorded by at least one other person.


These glasses could act as entertainment for people not wearing them, though. Watching people walk into each other while they read their emails or check the weather would never get old. However, other consequences are much more dangerous. Therefore, I think that Google should just forget about Project Glass to ensure the safety of others.


Do you think that Project Glass is a good idea?


If you have any questions or comments about this blog post, feel free to email me.

It's a Disney thing...

I’ll admit, I’m a Disney whore! Okay, maybe that is taking it a bit too far, but I have had a lifelong love affair with Disney. It’s not just the movies and the songs, but it’s the face characters, it’s the “First Trip” buttons, it’s the cute kids running around in their costumes, it’s the engagements and weddings in front of Cinderella’s castle... it’s the magic.

Through all of the pixie dust and dreams, Disney has had its share of criticism.

What most girls criticize about Disney is that it gave them unreal expectations about love and men. This is what I have to say about that...

Maybe if some females didn’t dress like they’re going to a club instead of school, they wouldn’t attract these “men” who only want them for their body. But if you dress and act like a princess, you will catch the eye of a prince. Now, I don’t expect you all to prance around in a ball gown and tiara singing about true love’s kiss while animals clean your room, that’s a little farfetched... okay, I wish that I could do that... A respectable woman wins the heart of a respectable man. A woman who doesn’t dumb  herself down will be admired for her brains. A woman who is kind will be loved for her beautiful face, and beautiful heart.

A true Prince Charming will love what is inside of your head, and what’s on it. He will not have gross “expectations” that you will have to live up to. Your Prince will love you for who you are. And I know that is super cliché but it is the truth, and I’m not one for lies….

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Next, a lot of people, again, mostly females, think that girls don’t have to work hard and that their dreams will be granted by a fairy godmother, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth! Now people may think I'm stuck in my childhood or something, or I’m crazy, but I learned a lot from Disney movies, things that will be with me for the rest of my life.

For starters, Snow White; the original princess. I haven’t met someone who says that Snow is their favorite, in fact, she’s the least favorite! Okay, I’ll admit, she was a puppy-lovestruck teenager who fell in love with the first man she had seen. But I don’t think people see the bigger picture. She stayed in a house with a step-mother who used Snow as a slave! She could have left, but she didn’t, and that takes some serious strength! Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) was similar to Snow in dreaming of finding that perfect guy. What I found incredibly strong was that she would rather be with the guy she met in the forest than be a princess (SPOILER ALERT: he’s a prince himself), now that is what I call love!

  

Every girl has wanted to be Cinderella at some point in her life, but she gets a lot of heat too. Again, I’ll admit that it’s hard to believe that she and the prince fell in love at first sight, but that’s not what she wanted at ALL! All she wanted was to be away from her step-family, she didn’t expect him to come from his castle, knock on her door and take her away from her evil step-mother and step-sisters. She took a risk of sneaking out behind her step-mothers back to have some fun! She knew that she couldn’t live her life in fear and stay hidden from the world. When she realized that the world wasn’t coming to her, she went out and got it.

Another princess that gets criticism is Ariel (The Little Mermaid). Most of her hate comes from people thinking that her giving up her legs to be with Eric meant that a girl had to change herself in order to get a guys. But actually, she gave up her legs because it’s what she wanted her whole life, to be human! Her father disagreeing with her love of Eric was just the boiling point! Ariel was not afraid to defy her society, break the rules, and be exactly what she wanted to be.

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Okay, enough with the hate that Disney Princesses get, time to look at the strong heroines that save the reputations of the rest.

Belle (Beauty and the Beast) was different, and she knew it! She was smart, savvy and wanted adventure, just like in her books. Sure she didn’t think it was all that great, but then again, when have we ever thought something that was different was a good thing? She was also breathtakingly beautiful and had practically every man at her feet, but she didn’t take advantage of that. Belle could also see the good in people. She saw past the Beast’s ugly face and saw into his kind and caring soul. Her love proves that pure love can change a person.

Even though the movie isn’t technically about her, Princess Jasmine (Aladdin) steals the show! She is strong-willed, powerful and independent! She won’t tolerate being treated like property or a prize. She defied her government and society to be with Aladdin. Who says you have to be with someone in your “status” when there are plenty of “diamonds-in-the-rough” out there.

Pocahontas and Mulan are very similar. Both are strong in the mental and physical sense. They gave up everything to save their people. Pocahontas’ spiritual hope and faith in the goodness of people set her apart from her tribe. Mulan only wanted to save her father from certain death and in the process saved the entire country of China. These two princesses show that bravery, courage, heart, and passion are important qualities for every person to have.

Tiana (Princess and the Frog) had worked her entire life just to own her own restaurant. She wished and she dreamed and she prayed for her dream to come true, but she worked two jobs and had to work to earn it. You can’t just wish on a star and hope everything turns out the way you want, it only takes you part of the way. Hard-work, determination, and never losing sight of what’s important are the only ways to truly get what you want.

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I am a firm believer in Disney and love and dreams. I don’t doubt anybody’s dreams. It’s not my dream, it’s theirs. Don’t doubt your dreams, whether it’s finding true love, making it big in Hollywood, singing on Broadway, or writing the next great American novel. So pull on those white gloves, grab that magic wand, strike up the dancing brooms, and wish upon a star, because as Walt Disney himself said, “All your dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them.”

Comments? Questions? Fellow Disney fan?! Email me!