I totally forgot I had a blog. Woops.
My last post was about how I had just found out we were going to New York for our school trip.
So much has happened since then...
I got the lead role in our school's musical, Aida. It was absolutely amazing. I had such a good time.
We did indeed go to New York. We got to sing in Carnegie Hall (oh my God), St. John's Cathedral of the Divine (most beautiful place I've ever seen), and I met the original Broadway conductor of Aida. It was quite the week.
We also saw the revival of West Side Story on Broadway. I'm not a huge fan of the show, but it was great.
Since then, the only other notable thing was seeing Rent in Chicago starring Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp. Best live performance I've ever seen. Consider me a Renthead.
I'll have to keep this thing more updated!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Sunday, September 21, 2008
procrastination --> college?
Through my many hours of procrastination this weekend I think I may have managed to find a college that really interests me.
Ithaca College in New York. It's far away, it's expensive, but it offers the majors I want to take: Film and Photography. They even have a program where they will send you to Italy for several weeks just to take pictures. Sounds like heaven to me.
Just everything I've read about it totally clicks with me. Now it looks like I'll really have to start working to make sure I can get accepted: I always forget about that whole application part.
And I really need to buy a fucking good camera. I'm sick of taking pictures in my backyard of flowers because it's about as far as I can get before the battery dies, and the quality is usually shit anyway. Blerg.
Oh, and I just found out for the 2009 Choir Tour we're going to NYC. I'd usually be unbelievably depressed because we weren't going to Disney World (a part of me still is) but I have never been to New York and have always wanted to. Plus we may go see a few Broadway shows? I'm in.
Ithaca College in New York. It's far away, it's expensive, but it offers the majors I want to take: Film and Photography. They even have a program where they will send you to Italy for several weeks just to take pictures. Sounds like heaven to me.
Just everything I've read about it totally clicks with me. Now it looks like I'll really have to start working to make sure I can get accepted: I always forget about that whole application part.
And I really need to buy a fucking good camera. I'm sick of taking pictures in my backyard of flowers because it's about as far as I can get before the battery dies, and the quality is usually shit anyway. Blerg.
Oh, and I just found out for the 2009 Choir Tour we're going to NYC. I'd usually be unbelievably depressed because we weren't going to Disney World (a part of me still is) but I have never been to New York and have always wanted to. Plus we may go see a few Broadway shows? I'm in.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Music Therapy
My God, I just bought Explosions in the Sky's album All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone.
It's the kind of album that restores your faith in humanity and makes you wish your life was more interesting just so it could be the SOUNDTRACK to it.
I don't know what it is that they do with their music, but they manage to move me more than any band with vocals ever could. Tonight, for example, I was extremely annoyed for no apparent reason, so I decided some of this could chill me out. Works like a charm.
I keep hearing Godspeed! You Black Emperor is great and similar to Explosions in the Sky, so I'll have to check them out next. It's so refreshing to turn off all the pop-catchy garbage you hear on the radio daily and hear something with actual substance and says so much more than anything with lyrics.
It's music that's important. It's music that makes me remember why I fell in love with music in the first place. It's brilliant.
*Sigh* It's a shame music like this goes unnoticed. Fortunately I have converted Holly into a fellow Explosion-lover :-) Hopefully I will convert more.
Man, I really should update this thing more often.
It's the kind of album that restores your faith in humanity and makes you wish your life was more interesting just so it could be the SOUNDTRACK to it.
I don't know what it is that they do with their music, but they manage to move me more than any band with vocals ever could. Tonight, for example, I was extremely annoyed for no apparent reason, so I decided some of this could chill me out. Works like a charm.
I keep hearing Godspeed! You Black Emperor is great and similar to Explosions in the Sky, so I'll have to check them out next. It's so refreshing to turn off all the pop-catchy garbage you hear on the radio daily and hear something with actual substance and says so much more than anything with lyrics.
It's music that's important. It's music that makes me remember why I fell in love with music in the first place. It's brilliant.
*Sigh* It's a shame music like this goes unnoticed. Fortunately I have converted Holly into a fellow Explosion-lover :-) Hopefully I will convert more.
Man, I really should update this thing more often.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
20 minutes
Well, I just told my friend Holly that I am not doing cross country this year and I am instead going to be the manager of the girls' tennis team.
She replied by saying she is not going to talk to me for at least 20 minutes :-P So alas, with 20 minutes of no one to text, I figured I could just write something here.
Tonight I learned something very, very important.
My mom is wayyy less hilarious when she's buzzed than she is when she's drunk hahah. I've only seen her drunk once when she returned with my dad and my sister from a birthday party, and my sister (who is over 21, don't worry) and her had hilarious drunk conversations that were funny even for me.
When she's buzzed, she just comments on EVERYTHING and has an attention span of like, zero. I literally did an experiment where I didn't say a word for about 20 minutes (coincidence?), and she managed to fill it up with conversation! Oh well, I still love her :-)
OH! My dad managed to get poison ivy again. This time it's on his legs...hopefully he won't look like some creature from a Sci-Fi Channel original movie this time. It's pretty funny though since he was only out of the mule in grass without jeans on for (you guessed it) 20 minutes.
Funny how life works out that way.
P.S. On a completely unrelated note, I desperately want to go to Disney World right now. The Olympic music when they award the medals is just like Disney music...*sigh*
She replied by saying she is not going to talk to me for at least 20 minutes :-P So alas, with 20 minutes of no one to text, I figured I could just write something here.
Tonight I learned something very, very important.
My mom is wayyy less hilarious when she's buzzed than she is when she's drunk hahah. I've only seen her drunk once when she returned with my dad and my sister from a birthday party, and my sister (who is over 21, don't worry) and her had hilarious drunk conversations that were funny even for me.
When she's buzzed, she just comments on EVERYTHING and has an attention span of like, zero. I literally did an experiment where I didn't say a word for about 20 minutes (coincidence?), and she managed to fill it up with conversation! Oh well, I still love her :-)
OH! My dad managed to get poison ivy again. This time it's on his legs...hopefully he won't look like some creature from a Sci-Fi Channel original movie this time. It's pretty funny though since he was only out of the mule in grass without jeans on for (you guessed it) 20 minutes.
Funny how life works out that way.
P.S. On a completely unrelated note, I desperately want to go to Disney World right now. The Olympic music when they award the medals is just like Disney music...*sigh*
Friday, August 15, 2008
What a beautiful mess
Woo, haven't updated this in a while. Probably because I'm stuck in Tennessee with dial-up internet doing absolutely nothing.
Wait, that kind of sounds like a bad excuse doesn't it? That's cause it is...I guess I just kind of forgot about this. Not that too many people read this, especially because it seems Chris doesn't have internet in Japan :-(
So yeah, these Tennessee vacations need to stop. Honestly, I don't know why my parents would even WANT me here...all I do is complain about how there is nothing to do. I'm kind of a dick to be around when I'm here, really. I'm certainly capable of taking care of myself at home for a few days and they would get a few days in their Tennessee log cabin alone. Why no deal?!?
Oh well, I will give it that sitting here writing a blog while chilling out to some Jason Mraz is actually pretty relaxing. He's playing in Chicago November 22nd...I'm definitely thinking about grabbing some tickets. I'll have to find someone else that wants to go of course...
Which leads me to my most recent problem. Finding people to go with me ANYWHERE. It's not that I don't have friends that would willingly hang out, it's just I don't have a friend that shares my entertainment tastes. For example, I'd like to see that new Woody Allen flick Vicky Cristina Barcelona. It's getting great reviews and has a stellar cast. But who exactly do you take to see a movie like that? It's essentially about a threesome...not something to watch with the parents, taking a friend that's a guy to a romantic comedy-thing just seems weird, and taking a girl that's just a friend might result in her thinking you are trying for a date. Gah.
I guess this is all leading to the fact that this would be way easier if I had a girlfriend I could drag along to all these things. It's not that I'm not happy being single...I guess they both have their pros and cons. I even have a girl in mind...it's just one of those times where you don't know if asking the girl out could result in making a friendship severely awkward if I got shot down. Blerg. Why do people have to make life so complicated? Why can't we all just be honest with each other and move on?!?
Woo, now THIS is a blog eh?
Anyway, it wouldn't be an update without some movie stuff so:
Pineapple Express-Wow, I thought this was absolutely hysterical. Sure, it's a stoner film, but I really enjoyed it and laughed till it hurt. Some critics have been complaining about how the film takes a violent turn toward the end, but I personally felt the filmmakers were aiming for a more over-the-top comic violence a la Hot Fuzz and I thought it worked spectacularly and was hilarious. Basically just another Judd Apatow hit. I'd throw in the wicked redband trailer but dial-up does not allow anything awesome.
Tropic Thunder- Haven't seen this yet, but from what I hear it's even funnier than Pineapple Express. Can't wait.
For all you video game fanatics out there:
Braid-Wow. Who knew that for a 15 dollar downloadable game that looks like Mario with time travel would turn out to be one of the best games I've played this year. You play as Tim, a young man who is on a quest to save The Princess (of course!). While this all sounds very elementary, the story turns out to be extremely deep and has one of the most powerful endings I've ever seen in a game. Seriously, the final level is one of the most genius things I've ever seen, and one of the most heartbreakingly tragic. Not to mention that the gameplay throughout is brilliant, with puzzles that I would want to just look up the answer to, suffer through, and eventually solve, leaving me so incredibly satisfied. I cannot recommend this game enough. It's on Xbox 360 currently for download off Xbox Live, but it will be released on for PCs later this year. You are all on PCs right now you have no excuse...buy this game.
Wow.
That was a ridiculously long post. And I didn't even talk about the Olympics! I won't go into too much ranting but Michael Phelps, you are my HERO. He won a race by one one-hundreth of a second. That's literally going to go down in history as one of the greatest races ever.
*Matthew McConoahey voice* Alright, alright alright...that's enough blogging for one night (pff, more like one lifetime). Later, whoever may happen to read this.
Wait, that kind of sounds like a bad excuse doesn't it? That's cause it is...I guess I just kind of forgot about this. Not that too many people read this, especially because it seems Chris doesn't have internet in Japan :-(
So yeah, these Tennessee vacations need to stop. Honestly, I don't know why my parents would even WANT me here...all I do is complain about how there is nothing to do. I'm kind of a dick to be around when I'm here, really. I'm certainly capable of taking care of myself at home for a few days and they would get a few days in their Tennessee log cabin alone. Why no deal?!?
Oh well, I will give it that sitting here writing a blog while chilling out to some Jason Mraz is actually pretty relaxing. He's playing in Chicago November 22nd...I'm definitely thinking about grabbing some tickets. I'll have to find someone else that wants to go of course...
Which leads me to my most recent problem. Finding people to go with me ANYWHERE. It's not that I don't have friends that would willingly hang out, it's just I don't have a friend that shares my entertainment tastes. For example, I'd like to see that new Woody Allen flick Vicky Cristina Barcelona. It's getting great reviews and has a stellar cast. But who exactly do you take to see a movie like that? It's essentially about a threesome...not something to watch with the parents, taking a friend that's a guy to a romantic comedy-thing just seems weird, and taking a girl that's just a friend might result in her thinking you are trying for a date. Gah.
I guess this is all leading to the fact that this would be way easier if I had a girlfriend I could drag along to all these things. It's not that I'm not happy being single...I guess they both have their pros and cons. I even have a girl in mind...it's just one of those times where you don't know if asking the girl out could result in making a friendship severely awkward if I got shot down. Blerg. Why do people have to make life so complicated? Why can't we all just be honest with each other and move on?!?
Woo, now THIS is a blog eh?
Anyway, it wouldn't be an update without some movie stuff so:
Pineapple Express-Wow, I thought this was absolutely hysterical. Sure, it's a stoner film, but I really enjoyed it and laughed till it hurt. Some critics have been complaining about how the film takes a violent turn toward the end, but I personally felt the filmmakers were aiming for a more over-the-top comic violence a la Hot Fuzz and I thought it worked spectacularly and was hilarious. Basically just another Judd Apatow hit. I'd throw in the wicked redband trailer but dial-up does not allow anything awesome.
Tropic Thunder- Haven't seen this yet, but from what I hear it's even funnier than Pineapple Express. Can't wait.
For all you video game fanatics out there:
Braid-Wow. Who knew that for a 15 dollar downloadable game that looks like Mario with time travel would turn out to be one of the best games I've played this year. You play as Tim, a young man who is on a quest to save The Princess (of course!). While this all sounds very elementary, the story turns out to be extremely deep and has one of the most powerful endings I've ever seen in a game. Seriously, the final level is one of the most genius things I've ever seen, and one of the most heartbreakingly tragic. Not to mention that the gameplay throughout is brilliant, with puzzles that I would want to just look up the answer to, suffer through, and eventually solve, leaving me so incredibly satisfied. I cannot recommend this game enough. It's on Xbox 360 currently for download off Xbox Live, but it will be released on for PCs later this year. You are all on PCs right now you have no excuse...buy this game.
Wow.
That was a ridiculously long post. And I didn't even talk about the Olympics! I won't go into too much ranting but Michael Phelps, you are my HERO. He won a race by one one-hundreth of a second. That's literally going to go down in history as one of the greatest races ever.
*Matthew McConoahey voice* Alright, alright alright...that's enough blogging for one night (pff, more like one lifetime). Later, whoever may happen to read this.
Monday, July 28, 2008
That Moment.
A few hours ago I experienced that moment.
That moment where you realize you are completely and utterly loving your life and everything you are doing.
I'm hanging with my friends on a nightly basis. I'm playing tennis; the first sport I've actually enjoyed playing. I've generally pushed people that bother me out of my life. I'm just happy.
It makes me laugh that people who do drugs and drink in my grade think they are better than others. To be honest, just stick me around a fire with my friends and that's about all I need to be happy. Oh, and *I'll* remember it in the morning.
Seriously, I'm just loving life right now. It's all such a change from the past years.
What a summer.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
The Dark Knight: Masterpiece
I've written so much about this film over the last day I really don't know what else to say about it. It's the best superhero movie ever created. It's the best crime drama I've seen since The Departed. It's one of the best movies I've EVER SEEN.
Heath Ledger's performance is the best I've seen since Daniel Day Lewis in There Will Be Blood. He turns the Joker from a cartoon character into literally the best villain ever put on film. Some villains have been pretty nasty, but the Joker is just so wickedly unpredictable and dangerous, that it's the first time I've felt in a comic book film that I literally did not know what was going to happen and that something was at stake. This isn't a children's film. Major characters die, people are tortured, threatened, beaten, shot, hanged, and burned alive. It's a miracle this film got off with a PG-13 (very little blood is shown and there is a notable lack of profanity): the film is called The Dark Knight for a reason.
I won't give anything away, but basically the movie starts out with a bang, backs off, slowly builds tension, ups the game with wicked action and threats, and then releases it all during what feels like an hour long climax. It's daring, complex, disturbing, intense, scary, and brilliant. Take all the hype you've heard about this movie, multiply it by 5, and you may just have an idea of the ride this movie takes you on.
This may be a bold claim, but this is a serious contender for Best Picture. Ledger completely deserves a posthumous Oscar, and he will win it. This movie shall be remembered for years to come as the superhero movie that elevated its quality to a point as to where it cannot be compared to any other film in its genre. This isn't a superhero film. This is a crime epic, and it is a masterpiece.
Trailer:
Heath Ledger's performance is the best I've seen since Daniel Day Lewis in There Will Be Blood. He turns the Joker from a cartoon character into literally the best villain ever put on film. Some villains have been pretty nasty, but the Joker is just so wickedly unpredictable and dangerous, that it's the first time I've felt in a comic book film that I literally did not know what was going to happen and that something was at stake. This isn't a children's film. Major characters die, people are tortured, threatened, beaten, shot, hanged, and burned alive. It's a miracle this film got off with a PG-13 (very little blood is shown and there is a notable lack of profanity): the film is called The Dark Knight for a reason.
I won't give anything away, but basically the movie starts out with a bang, backs off, slowly builds tension, ups the game with wicked action and threats, and then releases it all during what feels like an hour long climax. It's daring, complex, disturbing, intense, scary, and brilliant. Take all the hype you've heard about this movie, multiply it by 5, and you may just have an idea of the ride this movie takes you on.
This may be a bold claim, but this is a serious contender for Best Picture. Ledger completely deserves a posthumous Oscar, and he will win it. This movie shall be remembered for years to come as the superhero movie that elevated its quality to a point as to where it cannot be compared to any other film in its genre. This isn't a superhero film. This is a crime epic, and it is a masterpiece.
Trailer:
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