Oh Yeah…That’s Why I Don’t Watch TV. May 24, 2009
Posted by starshine1 in Acting, America, Beautiful People, Black People, Blessings, Celebrities, College, Daytime TV, Family Film, Fiction, Film, HBO, Life, Primetime TV, Soap Operas, Soaps, Society, TV, Television.Tags: Television
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Because there’s NOTHING good on. Kings, on NBC is being cancelled. How come when an original breath of fresh air, different, thought provoking show comes on…it dies? LOST is really lucky to be on the air, and its really the only thing on Television that I’ve been able to consistantly enjoy. Kings was a retake on the story of David from the Bible. It was really cool regardless of you religion or lack there of. Because it took this ancient series of events and placed them here in our time. It was really novel how they handled the themes and issues set forth in such an old text and made it current for today’s audience. Besides there is a LOT of DRAMA in the Bible, and David has a lot going on in his life. From being the youngest son of a shepard (in the show a war veteran/farmer), to being anointed as a king by your country’s most recognized religious leader/prophet, then serving at the right hand side of the current King Saul, to being a war hero, saving the king’s son, Jonathan, who you then begin a very interesting intimate relationship with, to running from King Saul b/c he wants to kill you, then finally…finally becoming king yourself. Yeah…I’m sure there’s no action there…None. So I’m sad. A really cool show was shut down. For what? So NBC could make room for their new show: Get Me Out of Here I’m a Celebrity, starring Spencer and Heidi and other people I don’t care about? Crap. Kings isn’t the first tragic casualty of Television. Pushing Daisy’s and The Black Donnelly’s were two really clever shows that were also ended. So what does that mean? Have Americans become too simple minded to endure entire seasons of entertainment that require them to think, or be witty, or have too much creativity. Have we dumbed ourselves down so much by reality television, that they only shows we can stand for long periods of time are The Hills, I Love Money, and whatever the name of that stupid show to date Ray-J was? I’m scared. Now I’m wondering if people even realize that the names of the characters from LOST have philisophical meaning or if everyone watches the show thinking that its a reality TV version of Gilligan’s Island and that’s the only reason its still around. Isn’t anyone else sick of Reality TV, Law & Cop shows, over the top teen dramas, or Sex & the City wannabes? Can’t someone do anything original? LOST only has one more season left!!!! We’re running out of time! Pretty soon all I’ll have left is Jeopardy, the Misadventures of FlapJack, and the CareerBuilder.com commercial from the SuperBowl!!! Can we get Christopher and Jonathan Nolan to do something!?! Hey, I’ll even do something, or my brother, or the kid that wrote and directed the 20 min short film I was in last semester…anyone!!! Just not another, Bachelor, 90210, or One Tree Hill…
Speaking of The Bachelor/Bachelorette, PLEASE ABC!!!! There are awesome single non-white people out there!!!!! PLEASE FIND THEM!!!! I’m soooo sick of feeling like “Only white people can find love on primetime TV” Not that I ever watched the Bachelor…but that could be because its sooooo boring and racist!!! Just saying, I mean geez Asian, or someone with tan I’ll take anything at this point.
From Russia With Love, Let’s Do the Time Warp Again, or Terminators v. Trekkies May 24, 2009
Posted by starshine1 in Acting, America, Beautiful People, Black People, Blessings, Celebrities, College, Costumes, Fiction, Film, Friends, Guys, Horror, Horror film, Life, Literature, Love, Me, Movies, Romance, Society, The Dark Knight, Twilight, University of Illinois.Tags: 2009 Films, Anton Yelchin, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Blockbusters, Captain Kirk, Chris Pine, Christian Bale, John Connor, Kyle Reese, Moon Bloodgood, Movies, Sam Worthington, Spock, Star Trek, Star Trek 2009, Summer Films, Terminator, Terminator Franchise, Terminator Salvation, Twilight, Uhura, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana
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Yesterday, I was blessed enough to see Terminator Salvation. I’ve only recently as an adult been able to watch all of the Terminator movies (My mom didn’t let me see them as a kid or rent them (the first came out years before I was born) I don’t blame her, the Machines still freak me out; not to mention I’m very impressionable. Unlike my younger sibs, my sister for example watched The Exorcist at the age of 7 alone, at night. Nothing scares my sister, nothing.) but for a late comer to this franchise I was still really excited to see the latest installment, and overall I’m fascinated by the ideas and concepts in the Terminator series. I have to say aesthetically the film was beautiful. Sure it was dark, grey, a little washed, but somehow even with the roughness of the characters, their clothing, and their environment there was something sleek, modern, and elegant about the picture. For me that was great because as a lover of mainly action and comedy films, you don’t see such a nice combination of grit and beauty often. Now, I know a lot of women love Christian Bale because…well because he’s Christian Bale, but I’ve never been attracted to him myself, he’s just too off putting for some reason. Maybe it’s the roles I’ve seen him in over the years like the Machinist, American Psycho, and even the past two Batman films. He just scares me. And the now INFAMOUS recording of his rant on the Terminator set doesn’t help. Still I look at Bale and really enjoy his work as an artist. He’s right to be very private, and I enjoy examining him and his work as an actor. I really don’t care about his personal life. Salvation really made me see Bale’s talent. I already knew he was dedicated and good, but this did for me.
Bryce Dallas Howard was too easy to overlook. I didn’t understand why she was there. I mean I knew why, and who she was playing, but she could have just been a random medic and nothing would have suffered. The love between her character and Bale’s was pale in comparison to the interesting chemistry between Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington) and Blair Williams (Moon Bloodgood). Still, while Salvation was great. It could have pushed even more. Especially with these four characters. There could have been a delicate and interesting contrast and comparison played between these two couples, and the humanity that surfaces in each, and perhaps a lesson learned…speaking of lessons.
John sucks. John Connor, that is. Ok, I’m sorry he doesn’t suck. Still this loop of fate he’s stuck in got a little irritating at the end. I know Connor is supposed to be this hero, this prophesied solution. But that could be because of this loop that he himself has created and is working so hard to preserve. What is freaking point of this fatalistic loop? What good will come out it? I need to see that in order to believe in John Connor. Still, what if…I mean what if we didn’t make him the hero? I mean what if he really isn’t the answer? What if they killed their real answer when they killed Marcus Wright? I think Marcus Wright, was someone to be examined. A creation which could have unlocked themes and discussions that were only briefly flickered at in the film. I mean hello!! He was a man and a machine! There could have been some great symbolism and questions raised there. Not to mention he was born in 1975 (he states this to Connor while chained up in Connor’s resistance camp) which means in 2018 he would have been 43, but he looks about 28. (If being half machine keeps me looking 21 I’ll take it.) Which again is why I think the movie could have pushed further. I dunno…my sister and brother say I think too much too hard.
Anyway. Kyle Reese and Star (his supercute, pooh bear of a little girl best friend) were absolutely adorable. I could have done a Brangelina and adopted both of them. Except the actor playing Kyle Reese is about my age. And man is that kid, Anton Yelchin, having one of the BEST SUMMERS of his life!!!! Which leads me to, DRUMROLL please….STAR TREK!!!!
Yelchin, is also a prominent character in Star Trek, he plays Pavel Chekov, the 17 year old Russian kid who sits next to Harold…uh I mean Hikaru Sulu (John Cho) the pilot, and does stuff like randomly touch that really cool glass screen and talk into it for the captain, even though he’s harder to understand than anyone else that could have done the announcements, like maybe the captain himself. So Anton Yelchin, who is from Russia, is one lucky, lucky guy. Two big summer films at the age of 20! That’s pretty sweet.
Yelchin is not the only thing these movies have in common though. Time travel is another. However, a big difference is that instead of running in a circle of destiny, like John Connor does in Terminator, Star Trek creates a whole new history. This was a clever turn taken by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman. Why was it so smart? Think about it…I HATE Star Trek!!!! But I loved this movie. Rebooting the franchise with fresh actors and adding time-travel liberates the film and future films that may come (I hope so) from having to deal with continuity with the old films and series (which I never watched because I hated them.) So new people, like me, can enjoy this film, and those familiar with the old stuff can enjoy it as well.
What did I like most about Star Trek? The cool technology? The action? The Set Design? NO! Kirk and Spock duh. Chris Pine was initially my favorite. He’s really cute, even if he is dumb enough to fool around with Audrina from the Hills, and he did a good job being boyishly cocky in the film and hot, and funny, and hot…oh and good looking. Then…well then. I noticed Spock. Now I usually do go for the All-American types. So Kirk made sense. But Spock threw me for a loop (not a never ending John Connor loop, just a regular one) and seeing Star Trek a second time yesterday solidified his attractiveness. I think its the all emotions buried beneath the surface thing that does it for me. Its like a challenge because if you can get him to show any sort of emotion…you’ve won most of the battle…of making him your new…uh first mate, yeah. I wasn’t think bf or anything. Anyway, both movies were worth seeing (not like the The Spirit, or Revolutionary Road, or Twilight, or He’s Just Not That Into You…DO NOT SEE THOSE!!!! I’m WARNING YOU!!! Unless you like wasting precious hours of life that will NEVER return!!!)
Lastly. I cannot forget to pay tribute to Nyota Uhura, played by the beautiful Zoë Saldaña. It was AWESOME to watch one of the first major black characters in such a great position. She was hott, and it was HOTTER that both Kirk and Spock wanted her. Plus she didn’t fall into that annoying token black person area. You know how in some movies the black girl either can’t speak proper English, had to have a hard life, repeats how much she “has to keep it real”, or have an attitude, or be the mothering figure that “takes care her babies” or gives advice, or isn’t attractive to anyone. Yeah, It was great to see Uhura as just an intelligent, hot, strong character and not a caricature of some outdated stereotype.
An Answer to Your Question May 22, 2009
Posted by starshine1 in America, Bella Swan, Black People, Blessings, Books, Celebrities, Charlaine Harris, Christian Life, College, Cullen, Education, Edward Cullen, Family, Fiction, Film, God, Harvard Medical School, Horror, Jason Stackhouse, Life, Literature, Love, Me, Medical School, Music, Pageants, Romance, Shakespeare, Society, Songs, Sookie Stackhouse, Southern Vampire Series, Stephenie Meyer, True Blood, TrueBlood, Twilight, University of Illinois, Vampires, mom, mother.Tags: Novels, Writing, Character Development, Plot Development, Twilight Series, NYC, Blogging, Twilight, Racism, Graduate School, Edgar Allen Poe, Gothic, Gothic Literature, Romantic Literature, Stephanie Meyer, Edward Cullen, Eris & Tristan, Books, Authors, Writing Tips, Vampires, Literary Devices, Plot, Symbolism, Characters, Comments, Readers, Blog Readers, Responses, Comment Response, The Watchmen, Graphic Novels, Race, Class, Status, Religion, Catholicism, Catholic, Sexuality
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So a very nice reader wrote on my entries about Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight Series. She asked me a question:
Hey, just saying, that an unknown author wrote a better book than Stephenie Meyer. It was about vampires and it had humor, action, and adventure. Plus it had some of the vampire legends like fangs and no sparkling. Please email me back with your opinion of what should be in a vampire book. 
So I emailed her back and here’s what I said:
Hello,
You asked on my blog at wordpress.com what I think should be in a vampire novel. First I think there are certain elements all novels need to be good regardless of what genre they fall into. Character development and Plot development are key factors. Now, you can strike a balance between the two or you lean towards one more than the other. Some literary and graphic novels are very character driven and the plot takes the back seat. One example of this the graphic novel The Watchmen it was recently made into a not so great movie. However, the grapic novel is a masterpiece. The reason the movie was so bad is that the director tried to make the plot the major point instead of focusing on the characters like the comic does. If you choose to go this route you have to create complete, well rounded people. No one is one sided, no one is just good or bad. We’re all multifaceted and have many motives that may lead to a single goal. If you want to your book to be more about plot or what’s going on around the characters make sure that your plot is strong. Personally I feel this is more difficult than creating a character. You have to continually ask yourself why is this happening? Does this make sense? Is there anyother way these problems can be solved? What are the conficts? etc. Also with a plot driven novel, you still cannot slack on developing the characters, which is what Steph Meyers did. Her books focus more on the drama and plot, but her writing is poor because her characters are flat. I mean can you name one interest Bella has besides Edward? No. Personally the most interesting characters in the Twilight series are Alice and Jasper, and their backstory. So there’s double work with a plot driven novel you still have to have solid characters and a STRONG plot. But with a Character driven novel a weaker plot can still be successful. The plot in the Watchmen is very weak, well its very simple and a little washy, but since the focus is on the people involved its still brilliant.
I’m sorry this email is so long.
When you figure out how you’re gonna balance your characters and plot, then your major issues, themes, motifs and other literary devices usually fall into place. For example I’m writing a book (a trilogy really), and yes it has vampires but that’s a secret that you wouldn’t know until you read to the end of the first novel, anyway in my book I have very strong plot with very strong and intricate characters. Eris is a college aged girl, she’s of mixed race, she’s catholic, she has specific interests and talents. Tristan is her long lost childhood best friend. He’s white, from a very wealthy upper east side NYC family, his mother is racist and very religious also catholic. Tristan is forced by his mother to stay away from Eris and they lose touch at age 13 & after his mother’s death becomes agnostic. While at college Tristan learns that Eris has been kidnapped and eventually learns of her death. Already just from a brief look at only 2 of my characters and just a small snippet of my plot major issues and themes have surfaced. Race/Racism and Religion are the two most obvious, but there’s a lot more going on in the book that I haven’t put down, so other issues and themes arise like Aging/Death, Sexuality, Gender Roles, Class/Status, and Family
When it comes to other lit. devices like motifs, allusions, symbolism that all depends on your style. I love to layer meanings, and have clues that point to several different ideas or things at once. The Watchmen does this too, the little smiley face with the blood means a lot of things!!! Other writers prefer to be more straight forward. This may depend on your audience as well. If you’re writing for teens you may not want to get too complicated or let’s say if you were writing a politcally charged novel you might want to code things so they point to what you really mean, but also to something else to avoid offending others or being accused of slander. I have a lot of symbolism, allusions, motifs, etc. Example: Eris is the greek goddess of strife and my main character is surrounded by confict. Tristan’s name is linked to the French word Triste which means sad. Ryn another character of mine means Dragon. Also Eris is my character’s name after she changes it. Her real name is different (not giving it away) but her last name is Leigh, pronounced Lee. and her Middle name is Annabella. This an allusion to Edgar Allen Poe’s poem Annabelle Lee, which fits my story perfectly.
So I know that’s a long email, but I hope it helps!!! And thank you for reading my blog and commenting.
~Starshine
Oh, One more thing specific to Vampire Novels…sorry I forgot this.
I think in a vampire novel YOU need to create exactly what you think a vampire should be. Yes, you should research and look back on Vampire legend and folklore, but ultimately what you want to see in a vampire is what counts. My vampires are created in a very special way, and have different strengths and weaknesses than vampries created by Anne Rice, Steph Meyer, and even those that you hear about in European legend. I’ve focused on Catholic religion, and Eastern European folklore to help create my Vampires, but if you want them to fly they can or melt at will they can as long as you can back up why they can do these things. Unless your book is for young kids, who may be content with not having a why, you need to support why and maybe how your vampires are the way they are because there is already so much information on vampires out there; no Teen, Young Adult, or Adult is going to believe your vampires can melt just because you want them to. My vampires enjoy food, small amounts of it at least. I decided this because in most vampire folklore the senses of vampires are enhanced; they can see better, smell better, & are more aware of their surroundings than humans. So why would their taste be left out? So I added that and explain why. Also you mentioned humor and adventure. My book pulls alot from Gothic literature so my themes and settings are darker, but I put in some humor just so the book is palettable or easier to swallow without being depressing. So if you want vampires that go on an Indiana Jones like adventure then that’s fine, but again its all about supporting why things are happening.
~Starshine
So that’s what I sent to that commenter. I’m sorry I haven’t been writing lately I just graduated from college, and before that I was really busy. I was researching Grad Schools, Planning my Birthday/Grad party, and sadly my PawPaw (my grandpa who I miss so much) passed away which took up emotions and motivation to focus on other things. I love to hear from the few who read my blog. So thanks for checking out my page, Starshine at WordPress.com and plese continue leaving comments.
Recap: Past Two Weekends May 3, 2009
Posted by starshine1 in Acting, America, Beautiful People, Blessings, Christian Life, College, Dance, Dress-up, Family, Friends, Guys, Life, Love, Me, Music, Pageants, Romance, Society, University of Illinois, gossip, mom, mother.Tags: Cooking, Eating, Errands, Fast and Furious, Happy, Miss America, Movies, Rocky Horror, Theater, Weekend, X-Men
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Last weekend April 23-26th (Yeah, I’m counting Thursday)
April 23rd: Bent opened, I wore my favorite black dress, I moped up fake blood…it was good, I missed the Office and 30Rock.
April 24th: Best audience for Bent, they laughed, they cried. My cousin and his girlfriend showed up. My best friend Sureel showed up. I put away rocks, then I ran home and changed to go out, while Sureel ordered McDonald’s and did her hair. We went to Joe’s. We danced. I embarrassed myself in front of people (Do not talk about exes to new friends…bad) Julian embarrassed me in front of people, when family members get loud and argue in public…just walk away. I went home. Sureel met a guy, and yeah, I did laundry the next day.
April 25th: Sureel and I re-lived the first half a Act 1, I was Rudy to her Max. She surprisingly remembered all the lines. We got Jimmy Johns and talked about our mutual love for the under-aged Nick Jonas. I received and sent some nasty texts. Got over it and went to the Armory for the last show, but took 30mins to find a parking spot. My mom, grandma, and little sister Nina came. Nina…awkward. I helped strike the set and visited my friend Captain Morgan at the same time…magic! We left and went to a party. I partied. I left said party and got food. I went home and slept for 3 hours.
April 26th: I got up 3 hours after I laid down. I got dressed, did my hair and packed all my crap for the Sweeps pageant. I went to the Hilton Garden Inn. I ate breakfast there…I drank lots of coffee. I did the interview portion of the pageant. I practiced my jazz solo for the talent portion. I listened to my iPod. I called Sureel 50 times to tell her about the awesomeness that was the night before and how much I now love iHop. The pageant started. I did my onstage question, swimsuit, talent, and evening gown. I was placed in top 5. I was one person away from a crown. I cried. It may have been my last Miss America system pageant. I drove home, got food from Chili’s got happy out of nowhere. Passed out from exhaustion.
May 1st-3rd: Not as exciting, but still fun.
May 1st: Last day of theater class. I ran home got my journal and turned it in before the Theater office closed for lunch. Went to English class. Came home took a nap. Tried to clean my room, failed. Napped a little more. Decided I should bu this weekend, so I went to Friar Tuck’s. Came home, got dressed to see Rocky Horror at Midnight. Texted Marek. Pre-gamed with friends, we parted ways. I went to the play, met up with Marek. We talked, we laughed, we gossiped. More people came…like John, and more people, like Tom. We stood in line, we talked, we waited. Doors opened. We were buzzed or drunk, or a little of both. We found seats. Certain people were too drunk…got in trouble and had to go home. We laughed, we yelled, we laughed harder. Nico was amazing. I took pictures after the show. Evy drove us home. I visited my neighbours at home. I went to sleep.
May 2nd: I got up early somehow. I ran errands. I went to the quad. I said hi to people. I laughed. I got jamba juice. I got Chinese. I shopped. I saw X-Men: Origins without Troy. I was stalked by a creepy guy. I saw Fast and Furious. Vin Diesel looks like my dad…so he’s not hot, thank you. My dad is Irish. The creepy guy bought me food. I didn’t eat it and I texted my friends to come get me and for help. I went home. I called Sureel. We talked. I was sleepy. I went to the Shape of Things, but I got too sleepy, and I left during intermission…sorry. I went home to take a nap, and then go out…only the nap turned into sleep.
May 3rd: I woke up. Remembered all my crazy dreams about American Idol, these two guys I know, and magic. I straightened my hair. I got dressed. My grandma called. My brother called. I went on facebook too much. My mother called. I left my house. I bought household items: Detergent, Bleach, Milk, and Face Wash. I did some laundry. I watched Kiss Me Kate. I did some homework. I cooked. Spaghetti, and I gutted and steaked fish and fried it. My brother called again. We talked and laughed about Rick Astley, facebook, and how bad Gambit sucked in the X-Men movie. I forgot to call Danielle, even though I promised to hang out with her today…sorry. I sang in my car. I sang in my room. I watched cartoons. I talked with my roomates. I wrote. I was happy.
The End. 
FML: Its The End…or The Beginning? May 3, 2009
Posted by starshine1 in Acting, America, Blessings, Christian Life, College, Education, Film, Friends, God, Guys, Life, Love, Me, Movies, My Nonexistant Love Life, Romance, Society, University of Illinois, mom, mother.Tags: ADHD, Grad School, Graduate School, Learning Disorders, Theater, USC, Writing
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So…I’m rounding out my senior year here at the University of Illinois…I get a little misty when I think about everyone I’ve met over the years, and especially recently. I think I posted about it earlier, but just in case, I was the assistant stage manager for a play on campus, and I met a whole bunch of people and anyway I wish I had more time to get to know them…
Still while it seems like the end…its also a beginning…
I’ve been debating with myself on what to do after college, do I find a job now? Do I go to grad school or what?
I really had no clue what I really wanted to do. I’m interested in so many things from writing music and playing guitar, to dance, and studying biology. Well working on this play and a few other events in my life helped to point me in the right direction.
First the play. As assistant stage manager, you are not a star. I’m just being honest. You get to do some dirty work, like clean-up the stage and backstage every day. Keep track of actors and their lines, and haul rocks…well sometimes. I realized I hate not being in the spotlight. I HATE it. I like costumes, I like being in front, I like attention…no I love it. Marianne Golden one of my first dance teachers said it best “Dominica might be quiet, but on stage she’s a ham” I didn’t understand that at first, I thought she meant I was a fat pig, I was only 6 when she said it, but now I know. Its in my blood somehow: I love the spotlight. While I greatly appreciate and I loved working on Bent as the ASM, its something I did once and won’t do again as a primary position. Sure I would do it to get my foot in the door, but not for life. I don’t want to be behind stage…I want to be on it.
Next thing, my fashion design class and writing. So I learned a little about designing clothes. It was fun, but what I learned was, I’m not made to go into designing clothes, I’m made to write stories. All of the collections I created for this class emerged from my mind as a story. One day after class one of my classmates said “you should turn your collections in to a novel” If only she knew I was already writing one…so if I’m ever behind the stage or camera…it would be as the person calling shots. Directing and writing stories well screenplays…I like that.
Another thing. ADHD & My Cognitive learning disorder. I never thought I’d say this: I’m LD stupid…hahahaha. Ok so its sort of an inside joke. But I really am LD w/ADHD. It explains a lot. While my test scores are still above average there is a huge discrepancy between my sets of skills. Verbally I score off the charts. 99.9% of the U.S. Population fall behind me in language, vocabulary, reading, general knowlege, etc. While with math, and spatial problems I’m just slightly above average. That’s a huge discrepancy and a problem for me because I’m trying to learn everything at a level above everyone else, then add in that I can’t pay attention for my life and my short term memory sucks, and I love blurting out answers and cutting people short. Well I don’t love it, I just get impatient and I just do it without thinking.
So how does being LD help me? Well I’ve always been this way and just struggled along; so it never helped me, but now that I’ve discovered it I can take steps to reign in my focus and go to grad school ready to really succeed instead of flop around in a million different academic areas. Also I don’t feel like there’s something wrong with me that I can’t put my finger on anymore. Knowing also helps me socially. With my disability relationships are harder, it may partially explain my lack of never having a boyfriend. I don’t pick on social signals like everyone else. I’m socially behind most people my age just because I can’t read humans like most people. I’m so glad I know now b/c I just cut off someone I cared about, things were just too mucked up, and the same day I ended it with him, I found a few guys much more interesting (ok so I said a few but we all know out of those few there’s a one) and I’m taking great pains to pay close attention to them and just taking it slow and being open and honest.
So, my goal is this: USC. I want to study film or acting. See I’m still a little unfocused. But at least I’m in one area instead of three or four. I just have to decide if I can stand being behind the camera before I get a chance to be in front of it…I want both.
Bent Up… March 19, 2009
Posted by starshine1 in Acting, America, Books, Christian Life, College, Costumes, Dress-up, Fiction, Film, Guys, Life, Love, Me, Politics, Romance, Society, University of Illinois.Tags: Acting, Armory Free Theater, Bent, Concentration Camps, Ernst Rohm, Hitler, holocaust, Homomsexuality, Homosexuals, LGBT, Martin Sherman, Nazi, Nazi Germany, Nazis, Theater, University of Illinois, WWII
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Hi.
I’m working on a play here at the U of I called Bent. I’m the assistant stage manager!!! Yeah, I’m sorta, kinda, almost important. While I don’t call any shots, I am learning a lot about how things work behind the scenes in theater, and I’m having a lot of fun. I also get to keep the props in my apartment…that’s a big thing…really big…seriously, what would they do without me?
All jokes aside, this play is pretty serious. Its about…well I’m lazy so here’s what Wikipedia says it about: Bent is a 1979 play by Martin Sherman. (Ian McKellen starred in its original West-End production and Richard Gere in its original Broadway production) that was later adapted into a 1997 movie by director Sean Mathias. It revolves around the persecution of gay men in Third Reich Germany after the murder of Sturmabteilung leader Ernst Röhm.
Yeah, that’s heavy stuff. The play doesn’t only bring to light the tribulations homosexuals had to endure in Nazi Germany, but it also teaches about humanity. When the only thing left to face is death, and you have nothing material not even enough food to sustain you…that’s when a person’s real humanity comes out. It strips away all the B.S. we use to hide ourselves and protect ourselves from being vulnerable.
This play reminds me that at any moment I may never have a chance to say I love you to all the people I love and care about. There are people I care for that I’ve never told. That’s sad. Question is…am I brave enough to be vulnerable to someone else in order to let them know how I feel.
Usually the answer would be no. But lately I’ve been saying yes.
BTW: Weirdly and Soberingly the Night of the Long Knives, the night that sets the main characters of the play running, and also the night that Ernst Röhm was arrested by Hitler, is on June 30th…which is my birthday.
Bloc Party, Anyone? February 28, 2009
Posted by starshine1 in America, Black People, Blessings, Celebrities, College, Dance, Friends, Guys, Life, Love, Me, Music, Society, Songs, University of Illinois.Tags: Albums, Bands, Bloc Party, Dance Party, Great Music, Indie, Intimacy, Music, Relationships, Rock
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Bloc Party, amazing band.
Music is a huge part of my life. It helps me through bad times, highlights my great times, and of course I can dance to it. Plus what better way to immortalize that heartbreak than with a song? Or encapsulate victory? Or remember that first dance? Music. Its the soundtrack of life. (classic. will someone give me job…I rock this writing thing!)
Anywoot. Bloc Party is currently the band blasting on my ipod, in my car, and on my bedroom speakers. I have to say “One Month Off” is my favorite song from the album, though I love them all. My brother told me “One Month Off” would be my song…he was right…on multiple levels…haha. While this song is a bit bitter, and the lyrics express genuine hurt. The beat is amazing. I can relate to the song with my own feelings, but instead of feeling sad, I feel better, and I want to stand up for myself and how I feel.
So…here are the lyrics to One Month Off, and you can find other Bloc Party lyrics on their website here: Bloc Party Lyrics I recommend these songs too: This Modern Love, So Here We Are, Ion Square, Ares, and Mercury.
One Month Off
Well there were 7 years between us seems that all my friends were right
That we can’t survive on your bedroom eyes and a Spanish guitar
When we started this it was paradise, not just Bethnal green
And it’s just not right this waiting game, making a cuckold of me
I can be as cruel as you
Fighting fire with firewood
I can be as cruel as you
Fighting lies with lies
If you need time…
And it’s just not like me to lash out, but enough is enough
Tell me what the others can do that I cant
Translucent and sun bleached skin, when did you get so LA
How can you desert me after all we’ve been through
Stuck on a dream that somewhere its better
You’ll be the one missing out
I can be a cruel as you
Fighting fire with firewood
I can be as cruel as you
Fighting lies
Lies
If you need time…
Much Better… February 28, 2009
Posted by starshine1 in America, Blessings, College, God, Guys, Life, Love, Me, Romance, Society, University of Illinois, gossip.Tags: Blogging, Bored, Dating, Guys, Health, Hotties, Relationships, self, self-esteem, Tristan, Youth
1 comment so far
My past two posts have been pretty bitter. I admit I cringed a little when I re-read them. I’m feeling much better now. I don’t know why, because honestly nothing has changed, but I guess I’m just putting it in perspective.
So, most of my bitter, hard feelings stemmed from my conflicting feelings, and the list of let downs concerning a person. It still hurts. But I guess there are other people out there…and I’m committed to finding mine.
Seriously. I’ve been single for what…ever?
Anyway the point is I’m feeling pretty good now…not 100%, but good…decent. Thanks to my friends, and tasks that need to be completed, which are taking over most of my focus. Also God. I went to church on Ash Weds. I gave up alcohol for Lent. I’m focusing on me, and what I need emotionally which is something I ignore alot, especially when I like someone and I think what should I do so they like me, what does he want?…etc.
Instead its like this: I’m already awesome enough to be cared about. So the question is: What can you do to get me?
I know: Get me a pizza and some orange juice…I’m starving.
Another Question Answered, All In A New Moon May 29, 2009
Posted by starshine1 in America, Bella Swan, Blessings, Books, Celebrities, Charlaine Harris, Christian Life, College, Cullen, Education, Edward Cullen, Fiction, Film, God, Horror, Horror film, Jason Stackhouse, Life, Literature, Love, Movies, Romance, Society, Sookie Stackhouse, Southern Vampire Series, True Blood, TrueBlood, Twilight, Vampires.Tags: Anne Rice, Authorship, Books, Comment Response, Comments, Creative Writing, New Moon, New Moon Trailer, Novels, Response, Stephenie Meyer, Tips, Twilight, Vampires, Writing, Writing Tips
2 comments
Hey, so Anne left a question to my post “Breaking Dawn: Not Really Worth It”: I would love for you to express your point of view on this one. Why is it that every time someone writes a book about vamps they mention Twilight to compare it to?
I ask you this because my Twilight obsess friends burned my copy of my novels that had vampires in it.I feel like one cannot write about vampires because of Meyer any more. ~Anne
My Answer starts with this: Money. Meyer’s books grabbed the attention of a lot of young American readers, and what do young people have a lot of? Disposable income. The media picked up on the buzz that was going around and dollar signs filled their eye sockets. What now? Get some hot young actors for the film version so we can reel in more teen followers, and lets ride this train for as long as we can.
You see Meyer’s book isn’t that great, but it has a lot of fans. DEVOTED fans. Putting her book in the spotlight. This book is in the forefront of everyone’s minds, especially those people who are not usual followers of vampire fiction, suddenly vampires are in vogue right now and a lot of people are just now hopping on the bandwagon. Twilight is their first taste in a genre that has been a round since the late 1800’s. Therefore whenever another book about vamps is talked about or publicized the majority of people reach for Twilight to compare to because its what most people are currently familiar with. For them this vampire thing is a fad, even though authors have been writing about vamps for 150+ years. So that’s why everyone’s using Twilight as a comparison: Everyone knows about it.
An answer to your other question, I do think people can still write about vampires. In fact people are currently publishing books about vampires. Those books may be getting a boost right now thanks to Meyer. Those who are actually interested vampires will use Meyer’s work as a jumping off point to delve deeper into the other vampire stories that are out there and this will keep the genre alive. The same thing sorta happened in the 90’s when Anne Rice’s books were made into a movie. Anyone remember Interview with a Vampire? Movies like Blade, and Underworld also did the same thing. They revive interest in the fascination with vamps. The difference with Meyer is that her book was more youthful, its also simpler and targeted to a wider audience than Rice’s books which are so highly crafted they appeal to a smaller (though still big) group of people and they’re too adult because most media is geared to those between the ages of 13-24 where most of the money is made. If you’ve read or seen Interview then you might understand what I mean. It’s heavy to watch. Brad Pitt’s character is struggling with his vampirism and humanity, he loses everything close to him, and now he has to live forever alone. Its pretty deep stuff, and most 16 year olds don’t want to read 300+ pages or spend 2.5 hours on that. The movie came out when I was really really young, and I didn’t even watch it until last year when my then boyfriend, who was also older than me, made me after I told him I was writing a book with vampires. It’s a good movie, but its not fast paced or fun. It fits in with other standards of the gothic vampire genre like Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which is unique in its style and being the first of many. I think Meyer’s biggest accomplishment was lightening up the genre. She doesn’t add anything to it, but she does make it a little less stuffy and got a lot of young people reading it.
So bottom line is: People can, and should keep writing about vampires if that’s what they really want to do. Thing is this: They shouldn’t expect to be next Meyer (nor should they want to be), instead they should write their story and be true to themselves with it. However, if they do want to stand out then they should be aware that in order to do so they may have to market their work in a unique way. Me, well my book deals with major issues and uses vampires as symbolism for the human condition. Also I don’t make any mention of vampires for a while, hopefully the reader wouldn’t know it had anything to do vamps until way into the novel. Vampires are not the main point you could trade them out for say Werewolves, witches or heck even lepers! I chose vamps for aesthetic reasons. Lastly, I’m not publishing the book in my real name. So anyone I know that picks up the book wouldn’t be able to say: “Hey she said she was writing a book about vampires!” I’m marketing the book as a look at religion, crime, and racism. So obviously I think people can still write about vampires. Now you just have to be careful how you do it.
So last thing since we’re already near the topic. New Moon is coming out November 20, 2009. Super. Can’t you just feel my excitement. (sarcasm). Anyway. I heard a rumor that Gaspard Ulliel a.k.a my one true love, was going to have a part in the movie. I thought: Oh so they’re finally realizing their mistake casting unattractive Robert Pattinson. Instead I heard they were thinking of using him as Alec. First off its false folks. Gaspard knows he’s too much to play opposite Dakota Fanning (who I like a lot, but she’s like 15 and he’s 24…ehhh they’re not really blonde twins either) . Anyway ET put out 15 (really 14 secs) of the trailer. And http://www.newmoonmovie.org put up the vid on YouTube. So Here it is, all rights reserved by Summit: