Oh.
My.
GOD.
I just saw UP. It was amazing...I don't even know where to start.
First of all, the animation quality was better than any other I've ever seen. It was almost as if the animators had to try and make it look animated. The textures of fabrics, hair, etc. were so exact. The colors were extremely vivid and beautiful, and the characters' appearances really reflected their personalities. It was not only a well-produced film, but a beautiful piece of art.
And let's not forget about the movie itself. The story and script were amazing. It touched me so deeply and evoked so many emotions. I was definitely crying or about to cry for at least the third of the movie. What is unexpected is the depth and complexity of the story--it is a story of a love that is almost impossibly strong, especially with today's divorce rate. The characters are extremely complex, uncharacteristic for an animated film and definitely refreshing. I really don't want to spoil it, so I'm not going to say any more.
If this film is not the winner of the Oscar for Best Picture, I will be shocked. It is a beautifully produced, superbly executed, touching, funny, heart-wrenching film that takes hold of your emotions and stays with you. UP is one of the best films I have ever seen.
-xo
6/26/2009
A Horsey Anecdote.
I just got back from the barn. I would like to share with you a quaint little anecdote. This happened to me today:
Around two thirty, I was getting bored at the barn, sitting in the office and doing nothing. I decided to go out to the actual barn and see if there was anything that needed to be done and asked Cathe if she wanted me to do anything. She told me and a girl named Kaityi (Katie) to bring in the two new horses, Montana and Bentley. I grabbed Montana's halter and a lead rope and Kaityi took Bentley's halter and a lead rope, and we went out to the paddock.
There were Montana and Bentley, standing in their little barn-like-thing in their paddock, which was inexplicably covered in hay. I was a little confused about the hay, but dismissed it. Until I realized what it was actually for. I stepped into the paddock and the first thing I heard was a deafening *SQUELCH.* My leg sunk into a mixture of mud, rainwater, and manure. I pulled my leg quickly out of the quicksand-like mud-manure and hoped that it was just that one part of the paddock that was a tar pit. No. Not at all. The entire paddock was semi-flooded piles of mud-manure.
After wading my way through the mud-manure, I finally got to the barn-like-thing, in which Bentley was standing partially in front of Montana. As Bentley's a new horse and I haven't worked with him before, I didn't want to get behind him to get Montana. I waited for Kaityi to get Bentley, which she did without trouble, but that's where the trouble for me started. As Kaityi led Bentley out of the paddock, lo and behold, Montana began to follow Bentley! I tried to quickly corner him in the barn-like-thing, but he began trotting. I quickly tried to catch up to him without making him run faster, but, before I knew it, he was cantering out of the paddock. Thank god he didn't go out into the other paddocks, the parking lot, or the woods; he ran towards the barn, myself tailing him screaming "MONTANA. WOAH, MONTANA. MONTANA, WOAH." etc. Cathe, Jackie, and Janne saw me going after him and just laughed. We finally caught him, but I am still mad at him and I still smell like manure.
Greaaaat day at the barn.
-xo
Around two thirty, I was getting bored at the barn, sitting in the office and doing nothing. I decided to go out to the actual barn and see if there was anything that needed to be done and asked Cathe if she wanted me to do anything. She told me and a girl named Kaityi (Katie) to bring in the two new horses, Montana and Bentley. I grabbed Montana's halter and a lead rope and Kaityi took Bentley's halter and a lead rope, and we went out to the paddock.
There were Montana and Bentley, standing in their little barn-like-thing in their paddock, which was inexplicably covered in hay. I was a little confused about the hay, but dismissed it. Until I realized what it was actually for. I stepped into the paddock and the first thing I heard was a deafening *SQUELCH.* My leg sunk into a mixture of mud, rainwater, and manure. I pulled my leg quickly out of the quicksand-like mud-manure and hoped that it was just that one part of the paddock that was a tar pit. No. Not at all. The entire paddock was semi-flooded piles of mud-manure.
After wading my way through the mud-manure, I finally got to the barn-like-thing, in which Bentley was standing partially in front of Montana. As Bentley's a new horse and I haven't worked with him before, I didn't want to get behind him to get Montana. I waited for Kaityi to get Bentley, which she did without trouble, but that's where the trouble for me started. As Kaityi led Bentley out of the paddock, lo and behold, Montana began to follow Bentley! I tried to quickly corner him in the barn-like-thing, but he began trotting. I quickly tried to catch up to him without making him run faster, but, before I knew it, he was cantering out of the paddock. Thank god he didn't go out into the other paddocks, the parking lot, or the woods; he ran towards the barn, myself tailing him screaming "MONTANA. WOAH, MONTANA. MONTANA, WOAH." etc. Cathe, Jackie, and Janne saw me going after him and just laughed. We finally caught him, but I am still mad at him and I still smell like manure.
Greaaaat day at the barn.
-xo
6/25/2009
A Note on Respect and My Busy Day
Well, first of all, today seems like the day for icons to die. Both losses are extremely sad. When I got home today, I logged onto Twitter (because I'm a cool, hip young thing) and saw Pete Wentz (twitter.com/petewentz) and Perez Hilton (twitter.com/perezhilton) arguing about Perez disrespecting Michael Jackson. Pete was definitely in the right, and he pointed out that what Perez does for a living is essentially tear every and any celebrity to pieces. As a (closet) loyal reader of perezhilton.com, I know that his posts are not all mean, catty, and rude, but, let's face it, most of them are. After the Wentz-Hilton tiff seemed to be settled, Pete retweeted from Joel Madden an entry from perezhilton.com which was removed, asking Perez if the photo and text were actually written by him. The entry read:
“We knew something like this would happen!!
Michael Jackson was taken by ambulance from his Holmby Hills home to a nearby Los Angeles hospital on Thursday afternoon!!
Supposedly, the singer went into cardiac arrest and the paramedics had to administer CPR!!!
His mother is even on the way to visit him!!!
We are dubious!!
Jacko pulled a similar stunt when he was getting ready for his big HBO special in ‘95 when he “collapsed” at rehearsal!
He was dragging his heels on that just like his upcoming 50 date London residency at the 02 Arena, of which he already postponed the first few dates!!!
Either he’s lying or making himself sick, but we’re curious to see if he’s able to go on!!!
Get your money back, ticket holders!!!!” [qtd. from PhillyD.tv]
Michael Jackson was taken by ambulance from his Holmby Hills home to a nearby Los Angeles hospital on Thursday afternoon!!
Supposedly, the singer went into cardiac arrest and the paramedics had to administer CPR!!!
His mother is even on the way to visit him!!!
We are dubious!!
Jacko pulled a similar stunt when he was getting ready for his big HBO special in ‘95 when he “collapsed” at rehearsal!
He was dragging his heels on that just like his upcoming 50 date London residency at the 02 Arena, of which he already postponed the first few dates!!!
Either he’s lying or making himself sick, but we’re curious to see if he’s able to go on!!!
Get your money back, ticket holders!!!!” [qtd. from PhillyD.tv]
In response to Pete's question, Perez confirmed that he had indeed written this ignorant, insensitive, and rude entry, but removed it from his website once he "realized the severity of the situation and [his] mistake." This is no excuse for posting that vile and insensitive piece of garbage. No matter how strange his personal life may have been, he was an amazing artist that was loved and respected by millions. Nobody has the right to insult a man who is literally on his deathbed. That is all I am going to say on the matter.
*seamless segue*
So, today I had to go to the barn around 10am to go over rules and other things for the summer camp and it was extremely hot. We went over the rules and standard procedures of the camp and then went on a hike through the trails in which we take the kids for hikes and trail rides on the horses. That took about two hours, and then at about noon I helped lead a lesson for an hour. After that, I was looking forward to a lukewarm soy patty and some pineapple (much more delectible than I'm portraying it), when I realized that it was already one o' clock and I had to run back out to the barn and lead another lesson. I scarfed down my soy patty and left my pineapple for later, and, before I knew it, I was leading lessons for nearly four hours! By five thirty, I was sweaty, exhausted, and caked in dirt, hay, horsehair, and god knows what else.
It was SO rediculously hot today. For the past week, it's been nothing but mid-sixties to low seventies and rainy. Dreary as hell. All of a sudden, it's eighty five and burning bright today. I felt dehydrated after all of the lessons.
And the fun doesn't stop there. After my mom (see, mom, I mentioned you.) picked my sister and I up from the barn, we went to the Verizon Wireless store in town. I got the new enV 3 a few weeks ago and last Wednesday it started restarting each time I would have received a text message. I let the phone's battery die and then waited about a day before recharging it and using it, and the glitch went away. It happened again yesterday (Wednesday), and, already having a kinda sucky day, I just got fed up and decided to get it replaced or fixed.
So, first my mother, sister and I went to the town Verizon store and I asked the guy at the counter if he could fix the phone or give me a replacement. Almost before I could even get my words out, he told me that the store wasn't a full-service Verizon and couldn't do anything for me. Sorry. You could go to the Galleria. We asked him if the Verizon in the next town over was a full-service Verizon, but he couldn't even find the phone number in the phone book, let alone answer us. We left the store and tried 411 about four times, and they could not find the store either, connecting me to Verizon's Customer Service Hotline twice and the wrong store another time. On the fourth try, I just hung up. We decided to go to the other store just in case it was full-service.
Since we weren't planning on going to the next town, I called my little brother to tell him that we would be later than my mom told him we'd be, but not to worry because we were going to bring him McDonald's. His response:
*seamless segue*
So, today I had to go to the barn around 10am to go over rules and other things for the summer camp and it was extremely hot. We went over the rules and standard procedures of the camp and then went on a hike through the trails in which we take the kids for hikes and trail rides on the horses. That took about two hours, and then at about noon I helped lead a lesson for an hour. After that, I was looking forward to a lukewarm soy patty and some pineapple (much more delectible than I'm portraying it), when I realized that it was already one o' clock and I had to run back out to the barn and lead another lesson. I scarfed down my soy patty and left my pineapple for later, and, before I knew it, I was leading lessons for nearly four hours! By five thirty, I was sweaty, exhausted, and caked in dirt, hay, horsehair, and god knows what else.
It was SO rediculously hot today. For the past week, it's been nothing but mid-sixties to low seventies and rainy. Dreary as hell. All of a sudden, it's eighty five and burning bright today. I felt dehydrated after all of the lessons.
And the fun doesn't stop there. After my mom (see, mom, I mentioned you.) picked my sister and I up from the barn, we went to the Verizon Wireless store in town. I got the new enV 3 a few weeks ago and last Wednesday it started restarting each time I would have received a text message. I let the phone's battery die and then waited about a day before recharging it and using it, and the glitch went away. It happened again yesterday (Wednesday), and, already having a kinda sucky day, I just got fed up and decided to get it replaced or fixed.
So, first my mother, sister and I went to the town Verizon store and I asked the guy at the counter if he could fix the phone or give me a replacement. Almost before I could even get my words out, he told me that the store wasn't a full-service Verizon and couldn't do anything for me. Sorry. You could go to the Galleria. We asked him if the Verizon in the next town over was a full-service Verizon, but he couldn't even find the phone number in the phone book, let alone answer us. We left the store and tried 411 about four times, and they could not find the store either, connecting me to Verizon's Customer Service Hotline twice and the wrong store another time. On the fourth try, I just hung up. We decided to go to the other store just in case it was full-service.
Since we weren't planning on going to the next town, I called my little brother to tell him that we would be later than my mom told him we'd be, but not to worry because we were going to bring him McDonald's. His response:
"Okay. Michael Jackson might be dead. I was watching George Lopez on the CW and they interrupted the show with breaking news that Michael Jackson might be dead. They're not sure."
To this, I really just had to laugh. I thought, "Well, that's characteristic of him." A few minutes later, my mom's favorite "Eighties, Nineties, and Today" radio station somberly announced Michael Jackson's death. Then, they played "Billie Jean." Somehow, I found it really funny. Not his death, but the way it was presented to me. My little brother telling me that the possibility of Michael Jackson's death interrupted his George Lopez time? The radio announcement? "Billie Jean"? I mean, really.
Anyway, we got to the Verizon store and--lo and behold!--it was a full-service! The guy tried to fix my phone countless times and, after about an hour and a half, arranged for a new one to arrive at my house by Monday. But that hour and a half was...interesting. As the Verizon guy was tinkering with my phone, my mom told him and the two other guys who worked there about Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett. They were devastated about Michael Jackson, but didn't even know who Farrah Fawcett was. Shame. I can't even remember all the strange things that we talked about with the Verizon guys, but it was...quite interesting. Hah.
Despite my being covered in disgusting barn matter, I didn't shower when I got home. I just watched the CNN coverage of Michael Jackson's death for about three hours, caught up on YouTube, and then started writing this.
Man, today has been exhausting.
-xo
Anyway, we got to the Verizon store and--lo and behold!--it was a full-service! The guy tried to fix my phone countless times and, after about an hour and a half, arranged for a new one to arrive at my house by Monday. But that hour and a half was...interesting. As the Verizon guy was tinkering with my phone, my mom told him and the two other guys who worked there about Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett. They were devastated about Michael Jackson, but didn't even know who Farrah Fawcett was. Shame. I can't even remember all the strange things that we talked about with the Verizon guys, but it was...quite interesting. Hah.
Despite my being covered in disgusting barn matter, I didn't shower when I got home. I just watched the CNN coverage of Michael Jackson's death for about three hours, caught up on YouTube, and then started writing this.
Man, today has been exhausting.
-xo
In Defense of Communism.
I was sitting in my bed, in the process of drifting off to sleep when this idea hit me. Mind you, this is not an epiphany that I have just experienced, but something I have suddenly felt compelled to write about. I had just watched quite a few Vlogbrothers (youtube.com/vlogbrothers) videos, and, laying in bed, my mind began to run a bit wild, as it often does. I'm not really sure how, but somehow my mind latched onto this topic. Now, let us proceed.
In the United States of America, the media and government is constantly trying to burn into citizens' minds the evils of communism and the glorious capitalist system. Communism is depicted in many prominent Western capitalist governments as an oppressive system under a ruthless dictator which causes the citizens of these societies to be constantly in fear, sad, poor, and generally just miserable. While this has been true in many cases (see: Stalin's Russia, North Korea & Kim Jong-Il, etc.), this is not a fundamental part of communism. There have been many communist leaders and communist governments in general that have both been successful and well-liked by the citizens of the countries in which they operate. A prime example is Lenin's Russia. After years of absolute rule and poorly-suited monarchs, Lenin's Bolshevik party defeated the fractured Mencheviks (sp?) and gained control of Russia. Lenin and the Bolshevik party adopted communist ideologies and a comparatively liberal system of government opposed to the Czar's (and, no, that is not an egregious grammar error, I mean the Czar's system of government and ideologies, not the rule of multiple Czars. And, yes, I write Czar instead of Tsar. I know you may consider it to be incorrect. Stfu.). Long story short, many of the reforms, changes, and laws implemented by Lenin were extremely popular and Russia experienced much prosperity under Lenin.
Now, here is where we get to why communism gets a bad reputation. As an economically middle-class citizen of the United States, I have to say the ideology of communism is not unappealing in the national and international economies' current state. Communism is centered on the elimination of class distinction, the equal distribution of goods, a state-controlled economy, and nearly everything being equally distributed and regulated by the state. Hypothetically, all citizens would earn the same salary, have the same size of house and the same amenities, the same cars, the same clothes, the same everything, as to make everyone completely and entirely equal. This appeals to me, as well as many of those who do not live in stucco mansions in Bergen County with tennis courts and four-car garages. In theory, this concept is great, correct? But where we reach a problem is communism in practice. With power comes corruption, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. As one Enlightenment philosophe wrote and as I paraphrase: it is impossible for one man (person) or one small group of people to carry all of the responsibilities in the world. In many communist governments, there is one central leader who often acts as a type of dictator, having total or almost total power over all decisions in the nation. Citizens follow these leaders blindly, charmed by the "cult of personality," and, thus, near-absolute power is granted to those who so vehemently fought against absolutism. With such great power, these leaders often abuse their power. They get power-mad, paranoid, selfish, and every other troublesome emotion and feeling that one may encounter. This is how we get our Josef Stalins, our Saddam Husseins, our Kim Jong-Ils.
I beg of you, please consider what I am putting forth. Communism is great in theory, but almost always fails miserably or backfires when put into practice. Abuses and misuses of power by leaders with too much power have always been the issues of communist nations, and human nature renders these things inevitable. So it goes.
-xo
In the United States of America, the media and government is constantly trying to burn into citizens' minds the evils of communism and the glorious capitalist system. Communism is depicted in many prominent Western capitalist governments as an oppressive system under a ruthless dictator which causes the citizens of these societies to be constantly in fear, sad, poor, and generally just miserable. While this has been true in many cases (see: Stalin's Russia, North Korea & Kim Jong-Il, etc.), this is not a fundamental part of communism. There have been many communist leaders and communist governments in general that have both been successful and well-liked by the citizens of the countries in which they operate. A prime example is Lenin's Russia. After years of absolute rule and poorly-suited monarchs, Lenin's Bolshevik party defeated the fractured Mencheviks (sp?) and gained control of Russia. Lenin and the Bolshevik party adopted communist ideologies and a comparatively liberal system of government opposed to the Czar's (and, no, that is not an egregious grammar error, I mean the Czar's system of government and ideologies, not the rule of multiple Czars. And, yes, I write Czar instead of Tsar. I know you may consider it to be incorrect. Stfu.). Long story short, many of the reforms, changes, and laws implemented by Lenin were extremely popular and Russia experienced much prosperity under Lenin.
Now, here is where we get to why communism gets a bad reputation. As an economically middle-class citizen of the United States, I have to say the ideology of communism is not unappealing in the national and international economies' current state. Communism is centered on the elimination of class distinction, the equal distribution of goods, a state-controlled economy, and nearly everything being equally distributed and regulated by the state. Hypothetically, all citizens would earn the same salary, have the same size of house and the same amenities, the same cars, the same clothes, the same everything, as to make everyone completely and entirely equal. This appeals to me, as well as many of those who do not live in stucco mansions in Bergen County with tennis courts and four-car garages. In theory, this concept is great, correct? But where we reach a problem is communism in practice. With power comes corruption, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. As one Enlightenment philosophe wrote and as I paraphrase: it is impossible for one man (person) or one small group of people to carry all of the responsibilities in the world. In many communist governments, there is one central leader who often acts as a type of dictator, having total or almost total power over all decisions in the nation. Citizens follow these leaders blindly, charmed by the "cult of personality," and, thus, near-absolute power is granted to those who so vehemently fought against absolutism. With such great power, these leaders often abuse their power. They get power-mad, paranoid, selfish, and every other troublesome emotion and feeling that one may encounter. This is how we get our Josef Stalins, our Saddam Husseins, our Kim Jong-Ils.
I beg of you, please consider what I am putting forth. Communism is great in theory, but almost always fails miserably or backfires when put into practice. Abuses and misuses of power by leaders with too much power have always been the issues of communist nations, and human nature renders these things inevitable. So it goes.
-xo
6/24/2009
Techno Français
I don't know why, but recently I've gotten really into techno, and most of it is French. I'm not really sure why I love this so much...it's just really fun. My favorites are Yelle and Stereo Total. I'm annoyed, though, because Dell is using their song "I Love You Ono" in one of their commercials. GAHH. I hate when good music is bastardized.
I've been finding a lot of really good techno/electronica, both French and otherwise, by using Pandora. Right now, I put in Au Revoir Simone, Yelle, Stereo Total, Kate Nash, and Rilo Kiley to make my station, and I've gotten a lot of cool stuff, like The Blow, Ladytron, and Broadcast.
I'm not really doing anything today. I was going to go to the pool with my mom and siblings, but it's cloudy and not too nice out today. Now, I'm just waiting on Jess and/or the certain person to call me about the carnival or other plans for tonight. A little while ago I went back to the high school to get my working papers, as it looks like my job at the barn might actually come through! I really hope it does, I need money like a bitch.
My mom went to breakfast with one of her friends from work this morning. My mom teaches at a private pre-K thru nine school about half an hour from where we live, so most of her friends are teachers, as is this one. She's an English teacher and is amazingly cool. She gave my mom a few books for me to read, so now my pile of books to read goes like this:
Live long and prosper,
-xo
I've been finding a lot of really good techno/electronica, both French and otherwise, by using Pandora. Right now, I put in Au Revoir Simone, Yelle, Stereo Total, Kate Nash, and Rilo Kiley to make my station, and I've gotten a lot of cool stuff, like The Blow, Ladytron, and Broadcast.
I'm not really doing anything today. I was going to go to the pool with my mom and siblings, but it's cloudy and not too nice out today. Now, I'm just waiting on Jess and/or the certain person to call me about the carnival or other plans for tonight. A little while ago I went back to the high school to get my working papers, as it looks like my job at the barn might actually come through! I really hope it does, I need money like a bitch.
My mom went to breakfast with one of her friends from work this morning. My mom teaches at a private pre-K thru nine school about half an hour from where we live, so most of her friends are teachers, as is this one. She's an English teacher and is amazingly cool. She gave my mom a few books for me to read, so now my pile of books to read goes like this:
- I Am The Messenger, Markus Zusak
- Harry, A History, Melissa Anelli
- It's Kind of a Funny Story, Ned Vizzini
- Rant: An Oral Biography of Buster Casey, Chuck Palahniuk
- Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List, Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
- 10th Grade, Joseph Weisberg
- Sloppy Firsts, Megan McCafferty
- Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger (Summer Reading for AP Lit)
- The Stranger, Albert Camus (Summer Reading for AP Lit)
Live long and prosper,
-xo
6/23/2009
"Sitting, Waiting, Wishing..."
Yes, I just did use the title of a Jack Johnson song as the title of this blog entry. Sue me. But it is how I feel right now, pathetic as it may seem.
I am "sitting, waiting, wishing" for a certain person to land back in New York or just the Eastern Standard Time Zone in general. Said person has been in China for the past three weeks, and I have only exchanged one email with said person because said person did not have much access to WiFi. But, in that email, said person did promise to call me upon this person's return to the good old U.S. of A.
I am FINALLY finished with all of my Regents exams; I took Spanish and Math B today and I feel really confident in both. I'm getting my scores on Monday, but I REALLY want them now, especially English. I'm so glad that I won't have to get up at six in the morning to take one hour to finish a test which I am allotted three hours, all of which I must stay for. I have to say, staring at a white concrete wall for one to two hours is even less fun than it sounds.
The Fireman's Carnival starts tomorrow night, and I think it's wristband night. I'm trying to go with Jess, my best friend, and it's likely we'll run into her boyfriend or some of her friends or that really attractive guy that she's friendly with...Wait, wait, let's stay on topic. I love the Fireman's Carnival; it's the epitome of shoddy, small-town carnivals, complete with the creepy carnies, dilapidated rides, and suspicious food.
I'm pretty tired; I didn't even run today, I'm so tired. I'm going to drift off into dreamland now, aided by the dulcet tones of Paolo Nutini.
Keep the wind at your back and the sun on your face,
-xo
I am "sitting, waiting, wishing" for a certain person to land back in New York or just the Eastern Standard Time Zone in general. Said person has been in China for the past three weeks, and I have only exchanged one email with said person because said person did not have much access to WiFi. But, in that email, said person did promise to call me upon this person's return to the good old U.S. of A.
I am FINALLY finished with all of my Regents exams; I took Spanish and Math B today and I feel really confident in both. I'm getting my scores on Monday, but I REALLY want them now, especially English. I'm so glad that I won't have to get up at six in the morning to take one hour to finish a test which I am allotted three hours, all of which I must stay for. I have to say, staring at a white concrete wall for one to two hours is even less fun than it sounds.
The Fireman's Carnival starts tomorrow night, and I think it's wristband night. I'm trying to go with Jess, my best friend, and it's likely we'll run into her boyfriend or some of her friends or that really attractive guy that she's friendly with...Wait, wait, let's stay on topic. I love the Fireman's Carnival; it's the epitome of shoddy, small-town carnivals, complete with the creepy carnies, dilapidated rides, and suspicious food.
I'm pretty tired; I didn't even run today, I'm so tired. I'm going to drift off into dreamland now, aided by the dulcet tones of Paolo Nutini.
Keep the wind at your back and the sun on your face,
-xo
6/22/2009
Taking Better Care of Myself.
Since I returned home from school a few weeks ago, I've been feeling rather unhappy with myself. I've never been overwhelmingly skinny, fit, pretty, or anything physically remarkable, but I've been feeling particularly repulsive for the past few weeks.
During the weeks leading up to finals, stress just consumed me, as it consumes most when finals roll around. With that stress came staying up late on AIM with Tyler and Ali or on Skype with Casey, oversleeping, giving up on my horribly butchered hair, and consuming a diet consisting of solely Triscuits, chocolate-covered Chewy bars, animal crackers and diet Pepsi. Not healthy. Not one bit.
And, trust me, I felt that diet long after it passed through my mouth, down my esophagus, and into the bubbling pit of hydrochloric acid, potassium chloride, and sodium chloride that is my stomach. I looked paler than usual, which is a feat in and of its own, and I noticed some things getting a little more uncomfortable. But, being lazy, stressed, and...lazy...I didn't want to do anything about it.
A few days after I moved back home, I went shopping with my mom for some new clothes, and, while looking for a new skirt, I found that I had gone up a size. Mind you, I had been the same pants size since about eighth grade to the end of this school year, so this was a bit jarring for me. I promptly bought a pair of cross-trainers to remedy this unwanted growth.
I started to run about two miles almost every day. This kind of started something inside of me; if I was going to try and get in shape, I might as well take care of myself totally. I got a new haircut which fixed the seemingly unfixable damage that I had done to my bangs; I started using teeth-whitening strips to fix my smile; I started taking a lot better care of my face, washing it, scrubbing it, and using a light moisturizer on it.
I'm also on Weight Watchers now. I realize that I have to take control of not only my physical appearance, but my actual health as well. I'm hoping to have lost twenty pounds by September.
I'm going in a good direction now and I feel really good about it. I'm taking charge of my own life, which has been really difficult for me over the past year and a half. Exercising no longer is something that I dread and loathe, but something that makes me feel accomplished, relaxed, and actually kind of happy.
It's the best time for me to be doing this. I'm starting at a new school as a JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL in September. I may as well walk through those intimidating, slightly institutional doors confident, healthy, and looking pretty damn good. I want to be that new girl that everyone is wondering about, not that weird girl who came in the middle of high school.
I have two exams tomorrow, Spanish at 7:20 and Math B (a composite of Geometry and Algebra II/Trigonometry, although I've already completed Precalculus) at 11:30. I have to get up at 6:00 to take a shower and get ready, so I should probably go to bed.
Goodnight, moon.
-xo
During the weeks leading up to finals, stress just consumed me, as it consumes most when finals roll around. With that stress came staying up late on AIM with Tyler and Ali or on Skype with Casey, oversleeping, giving up on my horribly butchered hair, and consuming a diet consisting of solely Triscuits, chocolate-covered Chewy bars, animal crackers and diet Pepsi. Not healthy. Not one bit.
And, trust me, I felt that diet long after it passed through my mouth, down my esophagus, and into the bubbling pit of hydrochloric acid, potassium chloride, and sodium chloride that is my stomach. I looked paler than usual, which is a feat in and of its own, and I noticed some things getting a little more uncomfortable. But, being lazy, stressed, and...lazy...I didn't want to do anything about it.
A few days after I moved back home, I went shopping with my mom for some new clothes, and, while looking for a new skirt, I found that I had gone up a size. Mind you, I had been the same pants size since about eighth grade to the end of this school year, so this was a bit jarring for me. I promptly bought a pair of cross-trainers to remedy this unwanted growth.
I started to run about two miles almost every day. This kind of started something inside of me; if I was going to try and get in shape, I might as well take care of myself totally. I got a new haircut which fixed the seemingly unfixable damage that I had done to my bangs; I started using teeth-whitening strips to fix my smile; I started taking a lot better care of my face, washing it, scrubbing it, and using a light moisturizer on it.
I'm also on Weight Watchers now. I realize that I have to take control of not only my physical appearance, but my actual health as well. I'm hoping to have lost twenty pounds by September.
I'm going in a good direction now and I feel really good about it. I'm taking charge of my own life, which has been really difficult for me over the past year and a half. Exercising no longer is something that I dread and loathe, but something that makes me feel accomplished, relaxed, and actually kind of happy.
It's the best time for me to be doing this. I'm starting at a new school as a JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL in September. I may as well walk through those intimidating, slightly institutional doors confident, healthy, and looking pretty damn good. I want to be that new girl that everyone is wondering about, not that weird girl who came in the middle of high school.
I have two exams tomorrow, Spanish at 7:20 and Math B (a composite of Geometry and Algebra II/Trigonometry, although I've already completed Precalculus) at 11:30. I have to get up at 6:00 to take a shower and get ready, so I should probably go to bed.
Goodnight, moon.
-xo
6/21/2009
An Introduction of Sorts.
Chances are, if you're reading this, you already know me. But let's assume that you've just stumbled upon my humble little blog; let's assume you don't know anything about me.
So, we're assuming you don't know anything about me now, correct? Well, now, I guess I'll just have to tell you about myself, won't I?
I'm fifteen physically, but in every other way I am at least ten years older than that. I have a conversational vocabulary filled to bursting with multi-syllabic words that you'd probably study for the SAT. My birthday is, as of now, about sixty-two days away, and the odds are good that I'll be spending it alone again. I have the horrible luck of being born in early August, the week where seemingly everybody I know is on vacation, usually in a different time zone, if not hemisphere. I'm not having a sweet sixteen either. But we'll get to why in a little bit.
I don't really stay in one place for too long. I've been to four different schools, and the longest I've been at one is four years. I went to two different public elementary schools and then went to private day school from fifth to eighth grade. After that ordeal, I went to a private boarding school for two years--the past two years, as a matter of fact. This coming September, I'll be starting my junior year at a rural public high school. I really just got sick of all the bullshit that goes on in private schools, and I know that I don't really belong among the rich and spoiled. While my friends are gallivanting around France, Sweden, Nantucket and South Korea, I'm stuck in my podunk little town, "Bum-Fuck, New York" as one of my friends affectionately refers to it, shoveling horse manure and picking weeds. I just want a normal life for once.
Since I'm transferring to a New York State public school, I've had to take two sets of finals this year: my standard end-of-year exams at my boarding school, and the Regents Exams at the public school. I've already taken English, Chemistry, and Global History and Geography, and I'm going to take Math B (even though I already completed Precalculus) and Spanish on Tuesday. Then, in August, I'm taking Biology and Algebra I, just so I can get credit on my transcript and not have to take Calculus. It's been a little hellish, but the scores won't have a huge impact on anything, since I never actually took the courses that prepare students for the Regents Exams.
I'm a girl with a LOT of interests. I'm always running from class to a meeting to rehearsal to another meeting to community service, lather, rinse, repeat. My main interest, however, is performing. The stage is my home, whether I be singing or acting, there is no feeling better than being on stage in my book. I sing mostly classical music (read: opera), but I also love jazz, Broadway, and contemporary. I've been singing seriously for about six years and it is my passion. I also act, albeit not very well, and it is simply intoxicating.
Music definitely dominates my life. I cannot do anything without music playing, it seems. It's really something that I can't describe, my passion for music. It's just something that has literally changed and saved my life.
It's a rare occurrence to find me without a book in front of my face or clutched in my hands. Reading was my first love, and I would spend all of my money at Borders if I didn't have to pay for other things that I actually need. I just finished God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian by Kurt Vonnegut, which is as amazing as it is short, and right now I am reading Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk. On my list after Survivor is I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak and Harry, A History by Melissa Anelli. Yes, I am a Harry Potter nerd. My friend and I are planning an elaborate road trip to Orlando, Florida next summer for Infinitus, a Harry Potter conference, and to visit the new Harry Potter theme park. I go on the fan sites, talk on the forums, listen to Wizard Rock, and basically anything else HP-related you could think of.
So, it's getting pretty late and my eyes are starting to sting, so I'll end this little introductory post. Read, comment, and pass it on!
-xo
So, we're assuming you don't know anything about me now, correct? Well, now, I guess I'll just have to tell you about myself, won't I?
I'm fifteen physically, but in every other way I am at least ten years older than that. I have a conversational vocabulary filled to bursting with multi-syllabic words that you'd probably study for the SAT. My birthday is, as of now, about sixty-two days away, and the odds are good that I'll be spending it alone again. I have the horrible luck of being born in early August, the week where seemingly everybody I know is on vacation, usually in a different time zone, if not hemisphere. I'm not having a sweet sixteen either. But we'll get to why in a little bit.
I don't really stay in one place for too long. I've been to four different schools, and the longest I've been at one is four years. I went to two different public elementary schools and then went to private day school from fifth to eighth grade. After that ordeal, I went to a private boarding school for two years--the past two years, as a matter of fact. This coming September, I'll be starting my junior year at a rural public high school. I really just got sick of all the bullshit that goes on in private schools, and I know that I don't really belong among the rich and spoiled. While my friends are gallivanting around France, Sweden, Nantucket and South Korea, I'm stuck in my podunk little town, "Bum-Fuck, New York" as one of my friends affectionately refers to it, shoveling horse manure and picking weeds. I just want a normal life for once.
Since I'm transferring to a New York State public school, I've had to take two sets of finals this year: my standard end-of-year exams at my boarding school, and the Regents Exams at the public school. I've already taken English, Chemistry, and Global History and Geography, and I'm going to take Math B (even though I already completed Precalculus) and Spanish on Tuesday. Then, in August, I'm taking Biology and Algebra I, just so I can get credit on my transcript and not have to take Calculus. It's been a little hellish, but the scores won't have a huge impact on anything, since I never actually took the courses that prepare students for the Regents Exams.
I'm a girl with a LOT of interests. I'm always running from class to a meeting to rehearsal to another meeting to community service, lather, rinse, repeat. My main interest, however, is performing. The stage is my home, whether I be singing or acting, there is no feeling better than being on stage in my book. I sing mostly classical music (read: opera), but I also love jazz, Broadway, and contemporary. I've been singing seriously for about six years and it is my passion. I also act, albeit not very well, and it is simply intoxicating.
Music definitely dominates my life. I cannot do anything without music playing, it seems. It's really something that I can't describe, my passion for music. It's just something that has literally changed and saved my life.
It's a rare occurrence to find me without a book in front of my face or clutched in my hands. Reading was my first love, and I would spend all of my money at Borders if I didn't have to pay for other things that I actually need. I just finished God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian by Kurt Vonnegut, which is as amazing as it is short, and right now I am reading Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk. On my list after Survivor is I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak and Harry, A History by Melissa Anelli. Yes, I am a Harry Potter nerd. My friend and I are planning an elaborate road trip to Orlando, Florida next summer for Infinitus, a Harry Potter conference, and to visit the new Harry Potter theme park. I go on the fan sites, talk on the forums, listen to Wizard Rock, and basically anything else HP-related you could think of.
So, it's getting pretty late and my eyes are starting to sting, so I'll end this little introductory post. Read, comment, and pass it on!
-xo
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