Jack Sparrow

So, my brothers have recently introduced me to the group The Lonely Island. Kind of funny, kind of awkward. there are clean versions of their songs out there, but most of them are fairly explicit. It's not really cursing and stuff for cursing's sake. The group got started on SNL and have since release 2 albums of their raps. It's all funny, it's all comedy, it's all very...crude I guess is the best word. But it's fluffing HILARIOUS.

My first introduction to TLI was the Jack Sparrow song, featuring Michael Bolton. the group is trying to record a "serious" rap and suddenly Bolton breaks out into "This is the tale of Captain Jack Sparrow." Sooooooo funny. Because after they convinced him to drop the Pirates of the Caribbean thing, he goes to other films. As a heads up, it is explicit, so view at your own discretion, but it is really, really funny.

I think it is interesting to see reactions to comedy that contains profanity. I used to watch it and not tell my parents until they started showing me comedians like Lewis Black and Russell Peters who use language in their routines. There's always a big debate on crude material versus clean material, but just like banned books, ignoring the problem in hopes that it will go away won't solve the problem...

"This is the tale of Captain Jack Sparrow/ Pirate so brave on the seven seas/ A mythical quest to the Isle of Tortuga/ Raven locks sway on the ocean's breeze."

Half-Life

Usually, everyone sees me as this bright, energetic, happy, busy person, always excited to work and help out any way I can. Sometimes, I can even see how they think that. Most times, though, I wonder where they come up with that impression; it just feels like a character I'm playing to hide the real me, the side I never want them to see.

I feel like I'm fighting really hard to find that happy girl nowadays. I've been looking at a picture from when I was about 1 year old and I just can't fathom that happy child, probably laughing because her Papa was making a goofy face behind the cameraman the way he always does. She didn't worry about grades or friends or driving or work or stress or sleep or eating right or finding love or money or debt or any of the things that invade my psyche on a daily basis.

I know part of the current problem is that I feel lonely. I see all of my friends with their groups and their inside jokes and feel so far removed that I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I feel like an outsider looking in the window of a really great party where everyone speaks a different language from me. I know that all I want is to feel like I belong, but I feel like I'm lacking something in that particular department. Maybe it's my sense of humor, maybe it's my laugh, maybe it's my lagging social skills, maybe it's my tendency to sit and listen when my friends talk and not feel like I can interject with my own opinions and have them be taken as seriously as the conversation was before I opened my mouth. Of course, I could just be flipping out over nothing at all.

There are some days when I long for the simplicity of life the way it used to be, before I wanted to grow up to be a perfectionist.

"Maybe I need to see the daylight/ Leave behind the half-life/ Don't you see I'm breaking down?/ Oh lately, something here don't feel right./ This is just a half life./ Is there really no escape,/ No escape from time of any kind?"

Make Them Hear You

Hello again!!! I'm aware that I've taken a rather long hiatus from my blog. To be honest, I didn't really feel like I had anything important to write about for the majority of my summer, but more on that later. I actually have something I really want to write about and share with you, my readers.

Every year at my old school, students have the opportunity to lead the school in the Pledge of Allegiance and read the morning announcements over the PA system. I had the honor of holding this position my Senior year.

The tradition has continued since my graduation, and I happen to personally know the student who applied for the job this year; let's call him Bob. Now, in attempt to change things up a bit, Bob obtained permission from the powers that be in the school to practice his astounding talent for voices and impressions during the announcement portion of the broadcast. Since every day would be different (Sean Connery, British, Midwestern, etc.) the idea was that students would listen attentively each morning to hear what was coming next. From what i hear, it was working beautifully. Students who generally talk and goof off during the announcements were listening attentively and enjoying the announcements.

I wish I'd had that idea, not that I have any talents with voices. The idea itself is simply inspired, geared toward making the humdrum school day more interesting and exciting. Having listened to the announcements myself for three years, I know how dull it can be, especially since the bell is about to ring. My attempt to change things around my Senior year came during the production of the Fall play. I wrote an announcement for each day of the week to be read by different characters, of course promoting the show, and the turnout that year was unparalleled. But, back to Bob.

Now, unfortunately for Bob, things did not work out so well. Apparently, a few teachers called in with complaints. Why, I do not know. He was not offensive or rude or cruel in any of his announcements or accents/impressions; in fact, he is one of the most responsible and respectful people I know. But, not only has he been banned from doing voices, but two of his peers have also been brought in to share the job. there is already talk of a petition to get his voices back on the air, and he has support from a majority of students from all grade levels.

I don't know why certain teachers had a problem with Bob's voices. He wasn't doing them during the Pledge, just during the announcement portion. He was trying to add a little personality and special flavor to the dull, daily routine.

I wish I could give the teachers who complained about Bob a piece of my mind, but that would be disrespectful and out of place, so I am sharing Bob's story instead to see what you think. Part of why I am studying Education in college right now is so that I can grow into a supportive, influential, force for good in schools, fostering individuality, creativity, and motivation in my future students. Bob has received the exact opposite of this. Is this what our schools are coming to? Machines to squelch individuality, turning the children into proverbial Cybermen (Google it)? If so, is it even worth becoming a teacher?

"Your sword can be a sermon/ Or the power of the pen./ Teach every child to raise his voice/ And then, my brothers, then/ Will justice be demanded/ By ten million righteous men?/ Make them hear you."

The Lazy Song

Definitely been a busy week, and things are only going up from here. I began brainstorming ideas for a new story to write today. As time goes on, I'll see where it ends up. Maybe I'll post previews of it here.

Even with everything I had to do today, I just wanted to roll over and go back to sleep. If I could have spent the day in bed, I would have, but I had church and choir rehearsal and it was/is Father's Day, so I had to get up for all that.

If feels like my life got a lot simpler once school ended. I haven't really felt like I've had much to write here. Work is going to pick up this week, so I might have some stories from that, or maybe not.

I was just thinking about something a good friend of mine once said: "Never regret anything because at one time it was exactly what you wanted." I'm not sure why I started thinking about it. I think it's very profound and true. I know I spend a great deal of my time worrying about the future and regretting past actions and it really doesn't seem to be the way to go. Huh. Maybe I'll ponder it some more. Maybe it'll end up in my story. Maybe I'll sleep on it and see how I feel when the sun is up again.

"Today I don't feel like doing anything./ I just want to lay in my bed."

Written in the Stars

I feel like I've been slacking here. I post, blink my eyes, and it's a week later with no new entries. I'm either just that busy or just that lazy. Right now, it's a combination of the two.

I've been thinking about writing another short story (for my most recent one, read the entry So They Say. It's back in March). I'd never had a story write itself before, but I had 3 very clear images in my head of where the story was headed. I guess I'm looking for a similar inspiration for another story, maybe one that could turn out to be longer or head to a later work/ collection of stories, etc. You know, trying to keep my options open.

I've been thinking of doing reviews on here of books/shows/movies. that could be a great deal of fun and would certainly begin soon. Now that church choir is "over" for the summer and I'm not rehearsing all the time for one choir or another, I'll have more time to write. Or maybe more time to watch TV or read a good book. ;)

Have a good one!

"Written in the stars/ A million miles away/ A message to the man/ Seasons come and go/ But I will never change/ 'Cause I'm on my way."

Coney Island Baby

At my church, we are lucky enough to be blessed with a multitude of children and teens (and adults) in the choir. The youngest ones are 3 or 4 years old!!! When I joined my church three years ago, I was not expecting the volume or talent of musicians present.

The choirs are split up as such: 3-7 year olds, 2nd-5th grades, 6th-8th grades, high school girls, boys whose voices have changed/are changing, and adults. We will sing anywhere from 1 to 4 or 5 prepared pieces on any given Sunday (aside from the hymns). Solos go out across the age groups and are always up for grabs; a good incentive to show up early for the Sunday morning call is to offer out solos to the first arrivals.

Most of these kids have grown up together and are really good friends. My siblings and I joined the church three years ago, but we were welcomes with open arms and a great deal of joyful noise. Back then, one brother was a tenor (now a baritone) and the other was a boy soprano (now a BASS II). I'm still a soprano/alto/tenor, or as my parents once called it, a trans-SECTION-al (hahaha).

The way I remember that my brother was a boy soprano that year was because we sang the Rutter Requiem for the All saints Day concert, and he had the high solo at the end of the Pie Jesu (it goes up to a nice high A flat). It's hard to believe how quickly his voice has changed.

Anyway, the teen boys rehearse after the adult choir rehearsal each week. They have a fair amount of religious and spiritual songs in their repertoire, but they also have some contemporary songs as well: Stand by Me, Wonderful World, Banana Boat, and Coney Island Baby to name a few. One of the coolest things about the contemporary pieces (aside form the great harmonies and awesome soloists) is the choral-ography. It just makes the piece, and the boys sing it so well; you can tell they are having a blast.

I can remember hearing Banana Boat back in 2007 when the boys did a joint concert with my old youth choir. I thought they were brilliant, hamming it up for the audience and generally enjoying themselves (at least THEY were smiling and moving around while they sang, and they still do).

As a sidenote: in case you haven't noticed, I don't use names and places in my blog. I use general descriptions and such. If the people mentioned indirectly want to claim their references, they are more than welcome to. I'll leave it up to them. It really should be their decision anyway...

"Farewell my Coney Island baby. Farewell my own true love."

Dreams

I've been a bit lax about writing frequently. I think the fact that I finished the school year made me realize how much I needed to relax and let down. Well, I really should put "let down" in quotes because I'm still working and singing and reading and cleaning and living my normal, busy life. the only difference is that I don't have papers due every day.

I'm prepping for a concert weekend. it's going to be amazing, and I'm sure to have an entry on it. More on that as the week progresses.

My dreams are getting steadily stranger the longer I'm out of school. Mixtures of outer Space and Planet earth, doctor Who and choir rehearsals, trips around the world and people I know, everything all mixed up in a jumble that only seems really screwed up when the sunlight streams in through the window.

Usually, I love dreams. They are bizarre and interesting, a whole new story and way to escape the humdrum of reality. Sometimes, they help me work out my problems and offer solutions to my life. Other ones wake me up in a cold sweat. I've gotten to the point where I can usually tell what certain things mean in my dreams. Sharks are a fear of things changing or a fear of something beyond my control. Flying is something I want: maybe adventure or courage to reach beyond my perceived limits. The Weeping Angels (Doctor Who: look 'em up!) are a fear of what I can't see, what I can't predict: the knot of fear when you are alone int he house. Very few dreams stick around very long when I wake up, but sometimes I can etch certain details into my memory. I can still remember fragments of dreams I had as a kid. Or a recent dream that had a strong effect on me.

I thought that dairy before bed was what triggered the really scary dreams, but I think that other factors (like temperature) can trigger the bad ones. meditation or storytelling does help, but not always. Sometimes I just can't shake the scary feelings.

Actually, since the upcoming concert I'm in is called "Dreams and Visions," it has given me a chance to really think about my own dreams, especially the ones when I'm fast asleep. Maybe I'll crack the code soon on how to avoid the bad dreams all together. Or, maybe not.

"Hold fast to dreams."