All the World's a Stage for Disappointment

Okay, so...Now that you've read my promising title, I thought I'd explain. I was never a huge advocate of 'Going Green.' But, recently-today actually- I discovered that the Bush Administration is going behind our backs to sell land in a NATIONAL PARK for that scudsy stuff called oil. It's a bit ridiculous if you ask me. In fact, I'm pretty pissed about it. The land is going to oil and gas companies, and it's not like they need it. Everyone whines about not having enough oil and all this other crap, but in reality, I'm sure we have PLENTY left over. Yes, I agree we should look for alternative energies, but we have oil left. Just look at how much the stupid oil companies have made in the last year. Exxon Mobile was right the top, followed by another oil company and I dunno...Google or something. It's this kind of blatant arrogance I can't stand!!! It's almost like they think the American people are too stupid to realize what's going on. God- it makes me grind my teeth, this kind of thing.
It's the fact that they're auctioning off land in the Utah National Park. They're just giving it away to the highest bidder without even stopping to think about what it all means. What else can this administration do to us before we boot their worthless butts out of the White House?!!!!! (Boy, did I want to use a swear so bad...) It seriously makes me soooo freaking mad! This first came to my attention-and I know how stupid this sounds- off of the Myspace of NDRC+Green Day. Go ahead and roll your eyes, but this is serious business. The administration didn't even ask permission until just recently, after everything was already set in motion. God- Isn't it sickening? Doesn't that leave a bad taste in your mouth? Is anyone else pissed off about this?!!!
Most of my information came from a letter written to NRDC's website by Robert Redford. He makes some pretty good points as to why we shouldn't let this happen. He requests that we should all send in letters protesting the move, and I'm seriously thinking about doing it.
If anyone's interested, here's the link: http://www.nrdconline.org/campaign/stop_wilderness_giveaway_nsb
The auction is on December 19th, and that scares the hell out of me. I don't know if my letter will make it in time.... I hope it does.
This needs to stop.

Little Sammy Was a Punk Rocker

Another picture crusade led me to find this. It was on Flickr.com, after I searched 'mohawk.' I love images with punks in them, mainly because I like how they look almost like dreams in real life. In other words, they just look so different from the rest of the people, that they automatically stand out- they almost look like cartoons that came to life. I always loved the punk style, because it was so outlandish in most cases; mohawks are often a stereotype, but if someone has one, it brings this 'don't mess with me vibe' that many obey. I don't picture too many mohawk-sporting guys toting babies, do you? This particular picture struck me as different from all the rest. It's at once intimate and out-of-ordinary. The caption of this picture had said that the photographer had taken it at Disney World. How funny is that? I love it. To me, it's a great image, just because it humanizes a group that would otherwise sneer at something so sweet.

Writing Woes

A new assignment of mine is to write about what it's like to write a short story. Without getting into the 'colorful' language I might use to describe it, I will say that it can be very...frustrating at times. I have a problem with deadlines- hate them. They always make me stress out way more than I have to and I fret about finishing everything in time. Often I'll rush to get it done, which is a bad thing; I end up leaving out good details that I would have put in if I just took my time. I have to give myself the time and everything turns out better when I do that.
Another thing about writing a short story is the fact that I have to keep it short. I am notorious for expounding a bit too much on minor details. I want the reader to understand what it's like to be in certain places, but then I end up describing things that no one cares about, like how dirty some one's shoes are or how dusty the floor is or something trivial like that. I like doing those things, but I have to bear in mind that I'm writing a short story and not a novella. I have trouble keeping things concise and to the point. I like to expand on what I write, get as detailed as I can, and even a bit melodramatic in some cases. I like to write about places other than what I'm used to, and if it's some place far off, I'll research it a little to get a feel for the place.
I like to have at least three characters that I work with in a story; that way it's not completely over-the-top and convoluted. I no longer restrict myself to writing from one character's point of view, or writing from a girl's perspective.
It can get crazy sometimes, and I'll go through the editing process numerous times, chopping out what I don't need or no longer like. I definitely avoid cliches as often as I can; nobody likes to read a story and figure out what's going to happen in the first three chapters.
With short stories, it's a little more difficult, because you have to conform to some of the 'writing rules.' It can't be too long, because the reader might get bored, but it can't be too short, because then it's like 'what just happened?' You have to find a comfortable medium between the two, and that's always a pain in the butt.....

Scattered Pictures

I love to collect pictures. It's this weird little thing I do. I'm not exactly sure why I do it, but I love looking at all these images and imagining what it was like for the photographer, or what meaning it has behind it. I like to look at pictures and wonder what was going on at the time; what was it that made the photographer take the picture. Sometimes I put the pictures in my scrapbook, sometimes I use them as my desktop, sometimes I just like to look for stuff. My favorite ones are music ones and some of the ones from World War Two actually look pretty cool. The above picture is one of my faves; the guitarist looks so tiny compared to his audience. The one at the bottom is also a fave. I love the way he was captured and everything. I tend to favor black and white pictures too, just because of how dramatic and 'gentle' they tend to look. I'm not saying that color pictures can never be like that, but black and white has a more classic feel to it than most modern pictures. The image at right comes from World War Two, and I thought it was a good way to show what was going on during those times. The kids had to fight the war as much as the men did, and here they are just acting like they should. I thought the photographer captured them in a good way. You may not look at pictures the same way I do, but that's okay. Whatever. It's what I like to do....

Good Grief!

It's the holiday season, of course; everyone knows that. With this knowledge comes tradition. We all have our own little ways of celebrating the holidays. One of the 'traditions' that come around the holiday season for me, is that every year, we find some way to watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the cartoon one- the good one) and A Charlie Brown Christmas. I like watching these, because it reminds me of being a kid and how I used to get so excited about Christmas. Santa was coming and all that. Now, I'm definitely not that excited anymore, but I still like the holidays. It's a good time for everyone and I like seeing the members of my family all gathered together. Now that I'm older, those movies I mentioned are more like things to remind me of being younger rather than hanging on to every word. What's fun about them now is that I can share them with my three young nieces, and have them enjoy what I did when I was their age. Of course, sometime they'll sit with me on the couch and ask questions about nearly every thing, but that's okay. I don't mind it.

What gets me every time, though, is A Charlie Brown Christmas. When you think about it, that poor kid takes a lot of crap. And for what? He has the nerve to get a real Christmas tree instead of a fake one that everyone else has? He gets ridiculed for being different. Seriously, if you watch again being all 'grown up,' you realize that those kids are mean. Even Snoopy is liked more than Charlie is. Linus is the only one who seems to understand him, too. It's so weird. The kids are all so terrible to him. "Boy are you stupid Charlie Brown," one girl tells him when he bring in the tree. "Rats," is all he replies. And this is after enduring the derisive laughter of the people he had previously considered friends. Call me crazy, but who wanted this poor kid to go through all of this just to learn the meaning of Christmas? It's a little insane. In the end though, Charlie Brown realizes that he does have friends and all that; that it's okay to be different and he learns what Christmas is all about, thanks to Linus. But still. He always gets put down. This is a kid who gets rocks for Halloween.

What kind of kid would he be nowadays? Would he be in therapy or something like that? Or would there be no Charlie Brown at all today? He'd probably be like, Emo or something. Wouldn't that be nice?

I've just realized... maybe Charlie Brown himself is the correct one, and all the others are wrong. Maybe he's been right this whole time. Who knows? But he always 'triumphs' in the end, which is inspiring, I guess. It does teach kids a good lesson: don't give up on yourself.

As long as Charlie Brown doesn't give up, then I guess he can go on being mopey. At least we know he'll come out victorious in the end.

Drummer Boy

Today, at the risk of sounding stupid, I'm going to write about a drummer. I actually am. But this guy isn't just any old drummer that I randomly picked from some where.

He's Tre Cool.

I mean, honestly. What can I say about him that already hasn't been said in his name? The man is a great drummer. He's no Neil Peart or John Bonham, but he doesn't have to be. Tre is the everyman's kind of drummer. But what's so great about him is his sheer energy. The guy is an enigma or something. Anything and everything he does has some kind of unstoppable energy to it. He almost demands your attention in a way, and I think every drummer should have that kind of attitude. It gets him noticed, that's for sure. This is a guy who sets his drum kit on fire and still plays the stupid thing! How crazy is that? I'm sure there's probably some other dude out there who does the exact same thing, but Tre is just someone you don't see every day. Rarely are there drummers out there who have the ability and the stamina to play as long as he does, and play what he does. He can go from punk rock, to some weird jazz, to whatever else. He's an all around great drummer.

Why am I inspired to write about him, you might ask? I was recently listening to Green Day, and the song "Hitchin' a Ride" came on. Not only that, but I was talking about him with a friend today. But the song is more important. It's one of my favorite songs, but the drums are what carry it. I think that's part of the reason why I like the song; the drums and the basslines get in my head, and I end up singing it the rest of the day. I think it's such a great song, both to sing and have in your head...I owe part of that to Tre. It's a great sound, I guess. 'cymbal-snare-base-cymbal-snare-base.' It's really cool; it gives the song a great staccato feel and the sensation of spinning out of control- but I'm not doing the song any justice at all. It was my fave for awhile.

...I think drummers may get ignored a little bit. That isn't fair. They tend to be the most talented of people, and, in Tre's case, secretly crazy. 'They say' that a drummer's crazy because his brain gets rattled around in his head all the time....who knows if that's true?

But the best thing about Tre is his craziness. He brings a great attitude to the band. He usually lightens up the mood. No matter how serious the band gets, he's always there to make fun of something. I can't sit here and describe how strange this guy can be some times. It makes me sound kind of silly, doesn't it?

I think what I'm trying to say is, Tre speaks for all drummers, in a way. I'm sure there are people out there who follow his example. I just hope they don't hurt themselves trying to be like him. Not only does he set a good example for future drummers, but he's one that can carry a song; make or break it. Songs like "Hitchin' a Ride," "Minority," and "Give Me Novocaine" are all drum-heavy, and they're better for it. I guess I'm just trying to explain how all the musicians in a favorite band shouldn't be ignored. Next time, watch for the face behind the drum kit. There's most likely another kooky personality flailing behind it.

Batter Up

I love baseball. It's November right now, and it's freezing, which means I am terribly missing baseball. It's quite easily my favorite sport. To me, there's so much more at stake than when you play another sport. The only other sport in my opinion that comes close to it is football. I realize that, in being a woman, people may not really listen to what I have to say on the matter. I can understand that I guess; after all, what dude would want a girl to upstage them in baseball knowledge? But I am getting sick of people ignoring my sports comments. It's nothing big, really; it's more irksome than it is a problem. Some people get it.
Baseball is so much more than fun, too. A lot of times it gets called boring, but that's only because people don't have the patience or the brain to think about what's actually going on. There's so much to think about and the outcome is different every time a batter stands up to the plate. I think it's a very personal game, too. There's nothing better than going to the ball park and sitting in the sun, a cap pulled over your eyes, glove on your hand. Every pop fly that goes into the stands feels like it's coming right at you. That's a great feeling. If you're really close, you can see how the chalk lines get all messed up when the players stand on them. I love how a great plume of dust goes up into the air when a runner slides into second base. Or one of my favorite things is when the first baseman and the man on base always talk to each other between batters. I love looking into the dugout and seeing the players chewing on wads of gum or the pitcher rubbing his hands with the rosin bag. The pine tar is great, too, and each little routine the batters go through when the come up to bat...
The atmosphere is just great. I miss the summer in these dreary and cold months, and I always think of baseball. It makes me both happy and sad at not being able to go out and play it.
My favorite team is the Detroit Tigers, and they've been going through a crappy season lately. What it was was the trading of my FAVORITE player, Pudge Rodriguez. Stupid corporate yobs, selling away my Pudge.... The fact that he went to the Yankees what was got me, and that we got a pitcher WE ALREADY HAD!!!
...Can you tell I'm still torn up about it? But anyway, the Tigers are my team, and this I am proud of. I have been a fan all my life. When I was younger, my grandpa would always have the games on in the summer, and if we went outside and played, we played baseball. My grandparents had a giant backyard, and there was room for all three 'bases' and homeplate. Often times Grandpa would bring out a beaten radio and we'd listen to the game on that while playing. He turned me into a little baseball player. I could throw really far and hit everything. I still can, but I'm pretty rusty now.
Baseball is a great part of my family's life. Since half of my family is Puerto Rican, it's a big deal. Roberto Clemente is like a god or something. :) Nearly all the children in my family played or have played baseball. That goes for my uncles and grandparents, too. It's great, and I'm very proud to say that.
So...I'm just feeling very nostalgic for the Summer and baseball right now. I love watching it on T.V. also. The Tigers on FSN Detroit with Mario Impemba and Rod Allen- the best announcers ever. They make it personal and funny, too. (A friend of mine knows what I mean). I love to watch the batters and the pitchers, and all their little mannerisms. Brandon Inge is my second favorite, and they're moving him back to third base-thank God! Give that man a freaking Golden Glove!!! He's amazing. "It's Gum Time." That was the single greatest thing to come out of the 2006 run for the World Series. When Magglio Ordonez hit that walk-off homerun to win the ALCS... oh my God. It will forever be a fond memory. I just about hit the roof and my dad and uncle spilled their beverages all over the floor when they shot to their feet. We hugged and shouted. It was great... I called my friend and we watched the celebration together. It was a good night!!
...Anyway, that's just how much I love baseball. I miss it so much, especially now. Everything about it is so bright and green and optimistic. It's our national pastime for a reason.
....Hopefully next season, the Tigers will be back on top. No more 'blu Fugs' in the clubhouse. ;)
Can't wait for next season to break out the Rally Caps, Big League Chew and the Sheff Hats.
Awesome.

For the Love of Vinyl

Once again, I'm going to talk about music. I've always loved the experience that comes from listening to music and how it can become a personal thing for some people. I can connect to a band and a song in depth, and somehow I begin to call it, 'mine.' If I like a band, and then someone else likes it, I end up thinking they aren't true fans. Plus, they're taking 'my' band and now I have to share....
Anyway, growing up in a digital age eventually saw the 'extinction' of cassette tapes and now CDs are on their way to being obsolete. I hope that this doesn't happen however. In my opinion, downloading can be easy and helpful, but it's also very impersonal. When you get an album, you can actually hold it in your hands, and flip through the lyrics booklet to read what the artist has written to you. The best parts are when you find little messages or a strange sentence that makes you smile. It's the fact that the bands are putting together this album and all that hard work went into it, and people are basically ignoring that to download one song. So frustrating! I mean, I understand if you only like one song, or if it's the most popular one, but at least listen to some of the other songs!
With that said, I love the hands-on approach that owning a CD can give you. If you download, you miss all the lyrics and the colors and the images. Where's the fun in that?! I absolutely love vinyl albums. When you get them, they come in a big cardboard sleeve and they can come in different colors depending on how many are pressed. I'm starting my own collection now and I have vinyl copies of "Highway to Hell," the Clash's self-titled debut- the US Version, "Rock and Roll High School" soundtrack, and "Ramonesmania," and my favorite Ramones album- "Rocket to Russia"- with pink vinyl! Those are all regular vinyls, though. I also am the proud owner of three .45s, "Mother Mary" by the Foxboro Hot Tubs, Dee Dee Ramone's last songs, and the Pinhead Gunpowder 7" EP. Both that one and the Foxboro Hot Tubs have come out this year, which just goes to show you how some bands can understand the importance of intimacy with the fans. (I get a kick out of explaining the difference between an EP and an LP, too). Not only is there fun in explaining everything, I find it amusing to look at all the record labels, from Lookout to Jingletown to Adeline. Looking up those record labels exposes me to new bands and other stuff you just can't get with downloading something. It's also the fact that I love these records; when you play them the sound is different and it you can hear the crackling of the needle in the grooves. That sound always makes me smile, and to me, having a band give me that emotion through their album is more important to me than downloading a single song to play on an Ipod, where it eventually loses it's relevance. That is something I just couldn't stand.

Bands You've Never Heard

Anyone could have guessed that I'm a big music fan. I love it. Sometimes I think I don't say it enough (my friends would tell me this isn't true). I like several bands, mainly which stay in the 'genre' of Punk Rock. The only problem with that is the fact that each band has broadened their style and have created new genres. For example, Rancid is more or less an obvious punk band, but they infused their sound with Reggae and Ska rhythms. It sounds pretty freaking cool, in spite of how I described it. I'm not doing the band justice- check them out!
Anyway, I'm a certain kind of fan that not only loves the music but wants to learn why the songs were written and what they mean. The songs already have a meaning to me, but I like learning what it meant to the songwriter, too, and what made them write. I also like to look at the artists that inspired my favorite bands and then check them out for myself. Which leads me to the 'Bands You've Never Heard.'
A favorite one of mine is called Operation Ivy. These guys are like the ultimate Ska-punk band. It's Tim Armstrong's first band, and he later went on to front Rancid. But if you want some good music, LISTEN TO THEM!! The lyrics are amazing, and tell great poignant tales of life in the East Bay, love, music and rebellion. There's also some rage against conformity and all that stuff. If you love punk rock, listen to Op. Ivy. Key tracks: "Knowledge," "Sound System."
Next up is Audioslave. They aren't necessarily an obscure band, but they should have gotten more attention than they did. Tom Morello is guitarist and Chris Cornell is the singer. Awesome, in one word. They're a great band to listen to if you're angry at the world. Key tracks: "Cochise," "Revelations."
The last band I'm going to blab about right now is Pinhead Gunpowder. Great band- seriously. Another East Bay punk band...but they're a more 'traditional' punk band. All the basics are there, the gnashing guitars and angry vocals. Great lyrics, too. They came up during the mid-90s Punk phase, and kind of got lost in all the hype. Check them out if you like Punk!!! They're normally 'angry' and angsty, but when they slow it down, it sounds alright. ;) Key tracks, "Life During Wartime," "On the Ave. (version 2)," "Westside Highway."
I think that's all the bands I want to talk about for right now....I'm sure I'll have more later; In fact, I guarantee that.
LOOK THEM ALL UP! You won't be disappointed.

Shoes

I haven't really been writing much, and I apologize. This week has been busy for me. It seems like we're being called upon to do a lot more homework this week... must be the Thanksgiving break coming up.

Anyway, I feel the need to write about shoes. I'm not really sure why, either...I'm just going through a 'shoe' phase right now. That in itself is strange for me. I'm not really a freak about shoes, but I certainly don't mind trying them on and looking for new ones. I always feel stupid about it, too.... It's like, 'what are you thinking about shoes for?' It's not really like me to want something so material (unless it be music-related). But I really think shoes are pretty cool. There's just something about wearing the perfect pair of shoes.... I think they're kind of empowering. If I'm wearing the right shoes, my attitude changes. I get this feeling, almost like 'I can take on anything' vibe - if I'm wearing the right shoes. The uncomfortable ones bring about feelings of frustration and being disgruntled. I'll stare at my feet and will a better pair of shoes to suddenly appear on them. Sometimes shoes can ruin a day or make it.

I've also developed a liking for certain shoes. It's so weird that something so simple can make me all confident and stuff! I love, love, love Converse All-stars. I finally managed to get my hands on a pair of real ones and I love them. I can't wait to break 'em in and wear them until holes appear on the sides.... I don't have high-tops, though! I've ALWAYS wanted a pair of those. I can thank the Ramones for that....

I'm also partial to shoes called 'brothel creepers.' People call them 'creepers' now, but I'll always know them by their original name. I might be one of few who really like these stupid shoes. They're kind of like, 'short punk dude' shoes. They make you taller, which is exactly what I need!! Yay! My fave is black right now, although I like the white ones with the little black squares on the top. The brand is Tuks or something, but who cares. They'll always be brothel creepers. I guess I just have a thing for retro stuff....Where the heck do you find a pair....?

My favorite shoes I own now, though, have to be my beaten-to-crap pair of Converse look-alikes. (Yes, I know it's cheating). They take the fave position because I've had them since the 8th grade and I love them. They're so comfortable and worn; I'll be needing glue for them soon. They've been with me for concerts, school, my senior pics, just about anywhere I go. Not to mention, my 'lucky' safety pin is stuck in the laces on the right shoe. Nobody has my shoes like I do, and I love the individuality of that... So... I just seriously wrote an entry on shoes. Go me.

But I'm sure there are people out there who know exactly what I'm talking about.... :)

A Quote to Live By...

Let's see... A quote I live by or follow... Well, I certainly like quotes. I have a lot of them. I do this weird thing- if I don't have anything to do or whatever, I'll collect quotes. I have several of them, but can I pick one that I would live by? If I had to choose, it would probably be: "Gonna scrape the trouble off my boots." This one's another Joe Strummer quote, but I do think the guy has quite a way with words. I like this because of the metaphor; the trouble is viewed as something so insignificant that it can just be scraped off your boot like mud. I like that outlook. Don't get so worked up about something so stupid or unimportant. Sometimes I wish that I could definitely get rid of my troubles in that way. I would live by this quote because the way I interpret it, is that there are more important things in life than worrying about the little insignificant things that don't matter. They might preoccupy your mind and worry you, but what you should do is just scrap them off your boots and stomp on them. I'd do something like that...
Another one of my favorites is "Lead, follow or get out of the way." This was said by General George S. Patton, a great figure in history. I like how he's brutally honest with this quote. Don't stand there and be all indecisive, just do something! I could live by that one, too...
Just for fun, I have other favorites:
"When someone asks you, A penny for your thoughts, and you put your two cents in, what happens to the other penny?" -George Carlin.
"I believe in individuality, being yourself, and to hell with what anybody else thinks about you."- Billie Joe Armstrong. (I could live by this one, too).
"An apple a day keeps anyone away if you throw it hard enough." -Stephen Colbert. ;)

That is all I have for right now. I'd love to hear some other ones! ...I guess all of these quotes I could live by in some way...even the crazy ones....

Honoring the Veterans

*comments on this are welcome!
Today is Veteran's Day, which means we celebrate those who have fought or served in the armed forces. To me, this is a very important day that several people may overlook. This is does not make me too happy. I don't like it when people don't show respect or acknowledge what the veterans have done for this country. To me, it's very important. I remember being one of those people who kind of just knew about it for awhile, then pretty much ignored it later. Now, I have wised up. I definitely understand and respect what today is, and I'm glad I do. I can't really imagine myself not paying attention to those who have served. I know how silly this sounds, but I didn't really understand all this until after I watched "Saving Private Ryan" for the first time. This was only last October, too; the movie just absolutely slaps you. But in a good way, if that makes sense. I'd been resisting the movie for awhile, and I wasn't sure why, but it was a good thing I finally watched it. The opening sequence is a recreation of the landing on Omaha Beach, one of the bloodiest battles of the war. Watching such a thing can only be absorbed the first time around. You don't really register what you see, you just kind of see it. It is really intense. There is blood, and there is gore, but you learn to accept it for what it is and just stare at the screen. I found myself waiting to see how it all turned out. Mainly you can't do anything else but watch. I know I couldn't. I seriously didn't move the entire time I was viewing it. I remember my stomach was in a knot and that wasn't a great feeling. But I got over it. Whitnessing that gave me only a tiny hint of what it was really like. Veterans have been known to watch that and cry afterward. I can definitely see why. I have only seen the beach scene maybe three times all the way through , and if I want to see the movie again I skip the beginning. I can't watch it on t.v. either because I'll stay up all night to do so, even though I have the DVD.
So, after watching the movie in it's entirety, I felt that I had been taking the veterans' sacrifice for granted. Not just those who fought or died in WW2, but those in Vietnam, Korea, the Gulf War, and the War of today. I felt a certain amount of guilt for that, too. As strange as this may sound, everything was suddenly put into perspective for me, and I realized just how dang important all that stuff was. It suddenly had more meaning than the terms in a textbook I always studied. I have always had an interest in history, but it took me this long to actually realize how important it was...
For that, I apologize to the veterans. I sort of feel like I need to. I definitely thank them for protecting my country and fighting those wars so that I may live in a peaceful world.
Thank-you, to all soldiers and veterans from all conflicts.
I feel indebted to you.

Roots Rock Rebel

While on the subject of role models or whatever, I thought I'd mention Joe Strummer. For those of you who have never heard of him or listened to the Clash, you are missing out! Joe is the perfect musician. He not only plays his music, he throws himself into it; he has great passion for it and it shows. He manages to somehow twist all that angst and raw emotion into his voice. I've seen him play so many times, and it truly is amazing. It looks like he's strangling the music out of his guitar- a black sticker-covered Fender Telecaster. I actually saw that guitar, separated from it by a pane of glass...It was probably one of the coolest things I'd ever seen. I know how stupid this sounds, but then I had proof that he was a real person; sometimes it felt like he could have been a figment of my imagination because I looked up to him so much, and I could never meet him. Joe is probably the only musician I've really looked up to, besides one other person. The guy is so charismatic and has a great way with words. It's so much fun when you're first getting into the Clash because of the lyrics. You find yourself singing all these things you wouldn't normally say. For me, it helped to expand my creativity and my mind. Often I'm tempted to speak Joe's words, because they either fully apply to the situation, or they're completely random. It's interesting to test people by saying some of these strange but insightful things. I call his quotes "Stummerisms." (Is that stupid or what?) One of my favorites is "I could murder a pizza..." or "You have to wear pointy shoes, so it looks like you know where you're headed."
I love Joe's view on life and everything else. He has such a great way of explaining things and has a love for different cultures. What I like so much about him is his rebellious spirit and the way he infuses different styles in his music. I like his bare honesty, too. If you're being an idiot, he'd let you know for sure.
He is just a great front man and is prone to strange little rants during performance or random outbursts of Spanish in the bridges of his songs. Whenever he gets into a song, he hammers the guitar, his foot pounding the floor. I saw one show where he was flat on his stomach, most likely from exhaustion, still singing in a hoarse voice, sweat dripping from his nose.
That is commitment. He loved his job, there's no question. I admire his loyalty to music and himself and the way he's put me on a path to my own individuality. The Clash are so much more than "Rock the Casbah" and "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" They're full of pure energy and passion, and that is mainly in part to Joe Strummer. Go ask any punk rocker and they'll tell you who he is. If they can't, then they have no right to even associate with the words 'Punk Rock.'
Does this all make sense? I've tried to explain this convoluted story several times before and I don't think I'll ever get it right. But I tried.
*If you've started on the Clash, but don't know where to go, listen to their self-titled debut, and then the masterpiece London Calling. You won't be disappointed!!

I'll end this with a favorite quote: ''Everyone has got to realise you can't hold on to the past if you want any future. Each second should lead to the next one.''

Amen to that, Joey.

'30 Rock': See It If You Haven't!!

Since I don't really have anything too serious to write about lately, I'll just write about what I know: pop culture.

One of my favorite t.v. shows is called '30 Rock.' Not only is this one of the funniest shows on the Thursday night line up, it is one of the funniest shows on t.v. I say this because, in all honesty, t.v. is really crappy right now. I mean, seriously. All I get when flipping through the channels is mind-numbingly stupid stuff. Take reality shows for example. Yeah sure, they're good for a few cheap laughs here and there, but they lack a moral center; they lack substance. You can tell that there isn't anything to it other than the fact it was somebody's dumb idea that was turned into a t.v. show. Like that stupid Paris Hilton bff show? I mean honestly, people! What self-respecting person would actually sit down and watch that?!! I don't freaking care if Paris needs a 'bff' and I kinda hope that she doesn't get one. It's obvious her only true friend is money and this show only proves that she wants more of it. If you're dumb enough to go on that show (or any other show like that) and display your stupidity, go right ahead. God!

All this talk of Paris Hilton has brought me to another idea. I don't think there are really any good women role models out there for anyone. I have three nieces, and I wouldn't dare let them grow up to be like Paris Hilton!!! Now, the creator of '30 Rock,' Ms. Tina Fey, is a brilliant girl whom I certainly look up to. Some of my friends and family tell me that I remind them of her. I definitely take that as a compliment. I look up to her because she is a writer, which I would like to be one day. Tina Fey is a very successful women, and has earned a lot of respect for her work on 'Saturday Night Live' and '30 Rock.' She has won Emmys for writing and the best new comedy series. Recently, she was back in the spotlight for making fun of Sarah Palin, due to how similar the two look. It always makes me happy when someone compares me to her, though. I look up to her because of her success, her intelligence, and how she has found her own ground in a predominately man's world. It is common for people to think women aren't funny, but Tina doesn't fit this stereotype. She writes a majority of the episodes for the show and even acts as the main character, Liz Lemon. She has also written movies, like 'Mean Girls' and 'Baby Momma.' She's definitely someone I think helps inspire people and I hope that I could be successful like she is.

Also, her character Liz Lemon is someone I can to relate to, not only because she's Tina Fey, but also because her character is similar to me- personality wise. We're both a bit obsessive about certain things, neurotic, and constantly bothered by other people. (ha ha.) What I mean is, a lot of people ask me to do a lot of things, and often I end up making strange decisions like Liz does. We both have a tendency to have stupid coincidences happen, too. Also worth mentioning is Alec Baldwin, whose dry humor is spot on as Jack, Liz's boss and friend. And how I could forget Tracey Jordan? He is absolutely hilarious, running about the studio like a an overgrown kid who forgot to take his Ritalin. My favorite line of his from last night's episode came after he had finished describing a legal term (very out of ordinary for his character!): "I watched Boston Legal nine times before I found out it wasn't a new Star Trek." Ha! I actually laughed aloud at that...

So, yeah. I definitely feel that this is a wonderfully funny show. The humor is smart humor, full of pop culture references and often a little strange. For example, when Liz thinks she might be pregnant and tells her boyfriend, and he responds by saying, "Cool. We can name the baby Morpheus." But everyone loves zanyiness. Without humor, our lives would be very dull. Tina Fey is a genius!

Take that, Paris.

It's Over!!

Today I am happy to report that we now have a new man in the White House!!! Yes! It's so relieving to be both rid of all the Election coverage and to have a new president. Last night, I was happy to see that Barack Obama was leading in electoral votes against John McCain. I did not actually hear the announcement of his presidency; I was getting really tired and decided just to go to bed. Although, once I saw that Obama had won Ohio, I knew which way the Election was going to go; his winning California only sealed the deal (sorry Arnold. There's always next time). Yay! I really couldn't be happier that Obama is our 44th president! My family decided to play a cruel joke on me and tell me that something happened all the sudden and that McCain won instead. I am still a bit upset with all of them...
At any rate, I'm glad the Election is finally over and that we will have a new man in the White House come January. Now it's only a countdown to Bush's last day...
It helps that my candidate won! And again, I couldn't be happier. My excitement is not as strong as it was this morning, but I'm definitely optimistic about the future. I'll have to watch a few speeches and stuff, as well as see what Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have to say about all this (their opinion is important, too) :) I'm so proud of my state and everyone who voted. THANK YOU, no matter who you voted for! This is certainly the most important Election of my life time, and all I want to say is this:
Bring on January, man! We're ready.

Happy Election Day!

First of all, I'd like to wish everyone a great Election Day, and if you can vote, please do so!!! It's very important that we do this. For the first time in my life I wish I could vote...kinda strange to want to do, but whatever. I want to do everything in my power to elect a new president, but unfortunately, I can't.... It's out of my hands...
To be honest, that scares me a bit. The only difference is this time, I have a lot more confidence in American voters. I think there will be tons more people who vote this year. I hope!! To all those who haven't voted yet: Get off you're lazy butts and do it!!!
I've never followed an election this closely, and so one could probably guess that I'm very nervous about the outcome. All I can say is this: OBAMA '08!!!!

Guitarist

A punk, self-righteous and with a message.
On a hot night with stars that gleam bright.
In a field, on a stage, spot lights burning.
A concert for thousands, yet so intimate

Just for the hell of it.

Angel's Twenty

Soaring over soft seas,
The sun winks teasingly
From behind cotton clouds
The air is icy; the sky is deep;
The stars shimmer brightly like miniature cities.
Above the world, it is silent.
Gliding through the silky sky, as if in a dream.
Here, the colors show their brightest;
Ribbons of pink and gold lead the way to
That endless horizon.

*******
Engines roar onward;
The lights blink furiously around
The chill of the night has passed;
The scent of leather and fuel remains.
Through the dirty glass, the pilot stares.
He hopes to catch that horizon yet.
The radar is angry now; he holds her steady.
He talks to her gently to stay on course.
Ahead his eye catches the glinting of silver.
His heart leaps to a pound.
But he keeps her steady as the
Silver flashes again and again.
Ready and waiting, the pilot glides on
At Angel’s Twenty.

A 'Daily' 'Report' of Laughter

In these turbulent and frustrating times, where do I turn to for comfort? Well, music helps, but if I try to watch t.v. I become bombarded suddenly with all these disturbing news reports. More casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan, the financial crisis and the economy in a downturn, gas prices, global warming, the Election-AAArgh!!! So many things happen at once that I can't really pinpoint which issue I want to tackle first....It's all so confusing. So...desperate times call for desperate measures.

Every night at Eight o'clock (except today because it's Monday), I will watch the "Daily Show" with Jon Stewart. After his show, "the Colbert Report" with Stephen Colbert comes on. I watch that, too. It's interesting, because I usually get a lot of my political information from the two of them, and then look it up later for more on the subject. It has become a good way for me to become informed. Both shows give me both sides of the story, but they have a tendency to lean toward a different wing of politics.... Bush Lovers beware! (If there are any of you still left). I guess the point I'm trying to make is that I need to be able to laugh at some of this stuff. Particularly at the stupidity that is involved in American Politics. Both Colbert and Stewart have a great habit of pointing out politician's mistakes, especially if it contradicts whatever it is he or she has been saying. It's like, 'wait...didn't you just say you were against this a month ago?" I favor Jon Stewart, mainly because he isn't afraid to tell it like it is. He acts as one of us, who sit and watch and hear about this stuff and reacts as we do; He's great at bringing out the absurdity and just laughing at it. It's a good thing, too, because some of it is pretty much unbelievable. Often, his reaction to all of this nonsense is a simple, "What the (expletive) is going on?!!" It's times like that when I can relate to him and what a lot of people must be thinking....

So, I'm just glad there's a period where I can just sit back and laugh at this whole thing. At least there are two people out there who have enough brains to explain it all to us....

Cutting Loose

Sometimes things happen, and I can’t do anything about it.
I’ll try and try, but it’s no good; it turns out wrong all over again.
I guess I’ve come to grips with that; how nothing in life ever seems fair.
I’ve done what’s left to do, and now I just have to leave.

She looked at him, and he looked at her.
She could sense the distance between them; but there was still something left to feel. Something left that was unspoken.
Whatever they had was now broken.

The door snapped shut and she was gone forever.
He just sat there and stared at the walls; he felt like it was all a dream.
An endless dream that had been haunting him for months.
He heard the car sputter to life and the motor fade into the morning haze.
He opened the window and breathed in the fog, a smart-alec grin across his face.
Now he was free to roam the streets again; to follow the 'shit town lights' to independence.

He stepped out on the pavement, walking down the street.
He stared at the converse sneakers that covered his feet
And smiled.
As he walked deeper into that mist,
He started to sing all the tunes that he’d missed.
The ones he couldn’t sing around her, because she hated them.

He followed the shadows to the end of the Bay.
He heard the echoes of music somewhere along the way,
Realizing how much he’d missed it; how much time had been lost.
He watched his reflection twist and bend.

He left the Bay the day after.
He packed his things and drove off in a cloud of exhaust
With the dog in the back seat
And the guitar lying beside him.
He never looked back.

Lexi: A poem about my dog...

Always running about

Sniffing things with that inquiring snout.

A tail that curves and bends;

Ears that stick up, and pointed at the ends.

Eyes of amber and a little wet nose;

Runs in a frenzy, not caring where she goes.

She doesn't bark, but she'll let you know

Wherever it is she wants to go.

*So cute, right? She was really starting to annoy me that day, so I decided to use that as inspiration....

First Assignment: Poems

Hey. I have to type up some of the poems I turned in for my creative writing class. Here's the first one:

Friday Night at Juanita's

The sun sets over the street;

In a convertible car, with the wind in my hair.

There is the smell of rain, the stink of cigarettes that comes

With the flash of light from a match.

A half-moon glows dimly above;

Orange reflects brightly off of white-rimmed sunglasses.

Crumpled papers scratch the sidewalk in a breeze.

Fireflies float about like tiny beacons.

Excited voices buzz together in a dull murmur.

Motorcycles rest in their places, chrome gleaming.

The riders sit atop them, leather jackets loose on their shoulders.

Heavy doors open.

A pool of ruby-tinged light appears on the ground.

The calm has now lifted;

We swarm into the club, a waiting what we traveled so long to see.

Stars glitter and fade above

As music blares throughout the night.

My First Movie Post....

Okay, so... I'm a big movie fan. I love, love, love them. They are a welcome relief when I find myself at a boring time or a frustrating time when I just need to get away from reality. My favorite genres of movies reach leaps and bounds, but I'd have to say my faves include, Comedy, Action, War, and I LOVE old movies. Anything with Steve McQueen in it I will watch. Or James Dean, too. Movies that come from the sixties, seventies and eighties are all good with me. I do have a love for war movies, mainly because of the action, the visuals and the themes that become present when I watch them. "Saving Private Ryan" is my favorite war movie, just because of the sheer intensity of the film itself. Not only that, but the characters drew me into the story and I'm amazed at how well the movie was performed.

Anyway, before I go off on that tangent, I have to say that this particular movie looks interesting. The title is "Valkyrie." It has to do with World War Two, which automatically gets my attention, and it has to do with a particularly important part of history. I really had mixed feelings about this movie after learning Tom Cruise was going to play the German Colonel who carries out an assassination attempt on Hitler. Tom Cruise kinda annoys the crap out of me. He always plays, like, himself in a movie. Rarely is there a time when I forget that he's Tom Cruise. This happened during "War of the Worlds," "Collateral," "Mission Impossible" (although that was a close one), and a couple others. So, naturally, I had stupid thoughts running through my head, especially when I thought about Cruise with a German accent. I kept picturing it so phony and laughable!! Hee hee! But I actually did some research on it and watched a couple trailers. Guess what? It actually looks pretty dang good. A bit creepy, too. But whatever.

I think that I can forget that Tom Cruise is in this movie....Now, if I can just wrangle someone up to go and see it with me..... Here's the trailer. See what you think: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1785856025/

*Yes, I wrote about a movie. Yes, I took up space. Yes...I am a dork.

"Do you have the time to listen to me whine?"

Hey. I just would like to state that I'm never 'happy-go-lucky' all the time. There are certain days when I just feel like smashing something against the wall...or whatever.
So, yeah.... I'd like to think that I'm an authority on music, Punk Rock in general, and I think I can safely say that I am one of a lonely minority..... I think my problem is I love music too much. I consider that a good thing, but other people don't understand it. I can't get through the day without music, let alone through the week. To paraphrase Billie Joe, (and yeah, I'm a Green Day freak), "music is what I breathe; it's the blood that flows in my veins; I don't know what I'd do without it." It's pretty much the same with me. If I didn't have my music...I'm pretty sure I would be the most boring person in the world. It just makes me an overall happier person, and makes me more intelligent (or at least sound that way). What people don't understand is why I love it so much. One of my pet peeves, the thing that really cheeses me off, (and boy, I hate how that sounds) is when someone tells me to stop singing a song. Or to shut up about music all together, because no one cares about it. Being the 'rude girl' that I am, I know this shouldn't faze me; I know I should just ignore it, but I can't . It's more frustrating when it's friends that are telling me to shut up. Then I get all melodramatic and think that I'm all alone and blah, blah, blah. I'm probably not, but it certainly feels that way some times.
Is it stupid of me to think about this kind of crap all the time? It comes into my mind often, but usually I just ignore it, hoping I'm just being and idiot. I worry sometimes about not loving music as much as I do now when I'm older. Like, as soon as I hit college I'll become some kind of moron who suddenly regards her punk tastes as 'a passing phase from my teen years.' If that ever happens, I swear I will realize it one day, and slap myself over the head with "American Idiot," respectively. But it's ridiculous to think of all this, isn't it? That won't happen. I'll make sure it won't. In fact, now that I think about it, I won't let it happen. I care too much about this stuff to not care about it in the future. I want to be able to share this music with my friends new and old, use it as a getaway from the drudgery of reality, or even share it with my children later on. Ah, I can just see it now: my little spiky-haired son running about as the Ramones or Green Day blares from the speakers in the living room....
Yeah....writing helps, as always. I bet no one was expecting the post to take that kind of weird turn at the end there, but who cares? I'll just leave it at that. I'm better now.... :) *by the way, the title comes from "Basket Case..."

"I Can See the Ledge Now..."

First, I hope everyone had a very happy Halloween! Second, the title of this post takes it's name from one of my favorite songs, "27th Ave. Shuffle," by the Foxboro Hot Tubs. I chose to use this because...the election is right around the corner. I certainly see this as something incredibly important, and certainly historical. This is the first and only election that I have ever followed so closely. I have to say before I continue that I support Senator Barack Obama. I have researched both candidates (awhile ago) and reached this conclusion. I agree with Obama on several issues, and I think he is a likely candidate to run the country. I know that some people may not agree with me on this, but I don't want to alienate anyone who may read this... Everyone is entitled to their opinion, especially on a subject like this.

But I have paid close attention to this race. I am happy to do this though, because I can start to develop myself politically and judge for myself who is next to become president. Some of it is very interesting, and some of it I find completely maddening. I honestly become so angry at certain political figures I feel like beating the crap out of something. The Republican Party is often the cause of such strife. If I'm feeling a bit crazy, I'll watch maybe ten minutes of Fox News and suddenly feel like I have a higher IQ than most of those 'political analysts' the news network holds so high in regard. I could easily turn this post into some insane left wing rant against the Republicans and John McCain, but I won't. But I will say this: JOE THE PLUMBER NEEDS TO GO AWAY RIGHT NOW!!! You were never that important to begin with! I honestly couldn't believe it when I saw him standing next to Sarah Palin, looking all 'righteous' and celebrated, as if he truly believed the campaign cared about him. Wasn't it blatantly obvious to him that they wanted him to gain votes?!! Or did he just do it for the money, which would render the point he was trying to make in the beginning moot? Am I just rambling right now, most-likely becoming too know-it-all for my own good? Hmmm....

All in all...It's just so much to think about, especially for my cobwebby mind. I'm not even sure if I'm supposed to writing stuff like this yet, but I'm sure my teacher won't mind. (I hope)

I guess my main point is this: VOTE. The more people that do this, the better. I don't think it matters who you're voting for, as long as you DO IT. Vote your conscious if nothing else!!! Please! and if the candidates get on my nerves too much, there's always a 'fourth party:' Billie Joe Armstrong. There's a president we need!!!

What I'm Reading

Yeah... I'm a bit of a bookworm. I love to read pretty much anything and evertything (and I love how I waited so long for a new post). Anyway, I am currently reading "Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl." I figured that I should probably read this, seeing as how it's such an influential and important piece of literature. I really like it. I find it so interesting to get the perspective on history from a teenage girl. I'm beginning to understand more of what it was like for the Jewish to live under Nazi reign. I've read and learned so much about this point in history over the years, but to read Anne's first-hand account of what she was going through teaches me more than any textbook could. She manages to deal with it in a very optimistic way inspite of everything that has happened.
I have a great interest in Worl d War Two, even though it was a dark time in history. I feel that it is very important that people learn about it, and that they respect it. I hate it whenever someone whines about history; I find the war very interesting and I think griping about it or whining that you don't care is not respectful to the veterans at all. We could be speaking German if they hadn't stormed the beaches of Normandy and died for our freedom!!!! (See how I get angry? ) Those of us who have seen "Saving Private Ryan" will know what I mean when I say the war is not something you can gloss over. Not only was it a very bloody and necessary battle, it was also a very human experience as well. That is why I have such a profound interest in the subject, as well as tremendous respect for those who have fough and those who have perished...
...but I've gone off on a silly tanget. I think I should stop here for now, but I am not finished talking about World War Two... I'm sure I'll come back to it eventually....

First post!

YaY! I am very excited to be working on this!! I have been thinking about making a blog for a long time now, and now I have a good excuse. As an FYI...there's going to be a lot talk about music, movies, history, the coming election, what I've been assigned and random stuff. That will most likely be the most thing I will later write about...random stuff.
Since this is being used for school at the moment, there will be a limit to what I'm writing. (By limit, I mean in terms of language.) I have a tendency to write 'colorful' language when I become incensed or whatever.... So I'll be careful of that.
I may also refer to myself as 'Hilts,' or my friends may call me that. This is just a term of endearment and not my name. (I'll explain what it means later).
So... for now I leave. I can't wait to start writing!!! Until next time!