That Evil Media....

When did the media become the antichrist? Who was it that first came up with the concept of reporters being cut-throat-life-ruiners?

As a writer, it can be extremely difficult to get anyone to talk. It doesn't even seem to matter that the article won't go past the hands of my professor! For some reason, as soon as I mention that I am a member of the media... doors close, phones hang up, and people have "no comment."

No comment. Now that is something that really urks me. Just because you heard someone say it in the movies doesn't mean you should follow suit. Unless the subject could somehow destroy your reputation and by giving me 30 seconds of usable quotes you would be ending not only your life, but harming those directly connected to you. For the record, if that were the case.... I wouldn't come asking you about it!! I'm not actually out to get you!

My next favourite line is, "I don't do camera interviews." Why not? Because you're wanted in 20 states? You killed someone, buried the body and the cops are on to you? If that's the case, than okay. But I hear that line from so many people, people I happen to know have no criminal record.

The camera has almost become scarier than the dreaded media! Even when the camera is off, people see it set up on a tripod and automatically cover their faces! Yes, the video camera that I borrowed from the school is actually an FBI profiler and I am being paid under the table to record the goings-on of life at our fair college. It's all a government conspiracy.

Have you ever tried to film a group of children? They all turn, look straight at the camera, smiling, waving and saying things like, "Can I be on TV?" and "Hi Mom!" What happened to that? How come that desire to be involved in the media completely dissolves as people get older?
It's crazy. The level of paranoia in the world is incredible.

So here's the deal. It's COLLEGE. We're being trained here. Everyone is. How am I supposed to learn how to conduct interviews and focus on camera angles, microphone levels and asking proper questions when everyone is afraid of me? I don't run away from the culinary students when I see them with their knives. Because guess what? They need to carry the knives so that they can learn how to use them properly for their career. It's a crazy concept, I know.

Here's another even more bizarre idea. You know that newspaper you read? That magazine you subscribe to? The radio show you listen to? That TV show you watch to get all the updates about what's going on in the world? They're all brought to you by the media. All those scary cameras, microphones and pressing questions... well they are the tools that bring you all that incredible information. So next time you see a reporter coming.... especially a reporter in training.... give them a break. And give them a comment. Please.

Awkward...

If there is one thing in life I hate it would have to be awkward situations. In the past few days I have experienced more awkward situations than ever. Let's go over them shall we? That way we can truly revel in them... dig deep, peel back the layers, and expose the true awkwardness that nobody knows.

My favourite would have to be someone wanting to discuss their genetalia over MSN. That was lovely. I can't even begin to describe how much I really and truly... wanted my computer to accidentally implode at that exact moment.

Another would be my family thinking that I'm dating one of my very good friends. And then another friend telling him about it. In front of me. I was never planning on sharing that with him... but hey, guess it didn't matter because he ended up finding out. The look on his face alone.

And my final awkward moment that I would like to share would be sitting in a roomful of people, most of whom are my friends, and not having anything to say. I was already upset about something and actually needed there to be some good conversation... but instead, I got to sit there while other people chatted. With their backs to me. I love being shunned out of a conversation.

So those are my most recent awkward situations... I can't wait to find out what the next one will be.

Okay, Okay, I Admit It...

It's true. I am completely obsessed with vlogs. If you don't know what they are, they're like blogs... but instead of text, they are videos. Hence - vlogs.

I can almost always be found perusing around YouTube these days. I love videos where people perform their original music and ones where people just entertain without being discriminating or cruel.

My favourites right now are the following three:

#1. Reina's acoustic performances of her original music and a few covers. I love every song she performs, but my all-time favourites would have to be Emily (I need to ask you) and Chance. These ones are always in my head. I wish she had a record deal so that I could buy her CD and listen to her more often. Yup. She's that good.

Check Reina out here

#2. Abby's weekly songs. She asks her viewers to submit song title suggestions and then each week pulls a song from a hat. Then she writes, produces and performs an original song based on that title. The title I suggested was "I photoshopped you out." Let's hope mine gets picked!
Her songs are highly entertaining, as is she.

Check Abby out here

#3. Christine. How can I describe her videos? They are hilarious. Many of the videos make fun of her Filipino parents (Tastefully. With impersonations) and some are soap operas. Every character displayed is performed Christine. Needless to say, she is awesome and you should definitely give her stuff a look.

Check Christine out here

One day I hope to get some of my own videos posted on YouTube. Right now I have one video of my brother singing The Only Gay Eskimo. If you want to, you can check it out here.

But for now, I will stick with my blog.

Wintertime In My Home Town...

As the snow falls and the year comes to an end, I find myself in a city full of people I no longer recognize. After high school everyone went their separate ways and ended up in different schools in different cities studying different programs. Most of them I never want to talk to again. So I don't.

But now that everyone is home for the holidays, I am constantly running into or passing by those people that I have tried so very hard to avoid. I've never been one for small talk so I'm consistently faced with uncomfortable situations full of awkward pauses and discussions about how I am liking school and whether or not I had a good Christmas.
This mind-numbing chitchat forces me to barricade myself in my home. So I have been spending my time sketching, reading and playing Scrabble with my mother. Which, in itself, is a lot more fun than it might sound.

So now, as I take down the Christmas decorations and prepare to welcome a brand new year, I can't help but begin to want for residence.

Now don't get me wrong, I am fully enjoying the whole no residence food, no RA, no throng of screaming, ditzy 17 year-olds, no death smell in the hallway, no jail-sized dorm room, no dirty bathroom stalls way of life I have going on here...

It's just that I miss my friends. I miss being able to leave my room and talk to anyone I choose face-to-face. I miss having a scheduled day. I miss having to be at a specific place at a specific time. I miss being able to arrange my time to be spent with people I find to be of consequence. Those people who don't have to try for the meaningless chitchat, but rather are able to have cohesive conversations. Those who know something about me, share an inside joke with me or at least have some knowledge or valuable opinion on a topic that I am interested in.

I just keep reminding myself: 5 more days. I can make it for 5 more days. And in 6 or 7 days I know that I will be wishing I were back at home.

10 Places I Want To Travel To...

1. Greece
2. Australia
3. France
4. Ireland
5. Italy (I've been before, but want to go back!)
6. Venezuela
7. Morocco
8. Hawaii
9. Alaska

10 Favourite Childhood Books...

1. The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone
2. Heckedy Peg by Audrey Wood
3. The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden
4. Half Magic by Edward Eager
5. Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
6. Frog and Toad (series) by Arnold Lobel
7. Silver Blades (series) by Melissa Lowell
8. The Secret Language by Ursula Nordstrom
9. The Amazine Bone by William Steig
10. Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary

Oh, It's On...

As a self-proclaimed Bookworm, I have a lot to live up to. Everyone around me knows that I eat, sleep, dream, and breathe books.

So why is it that when I look through my friends' lists of books, there are so many I have never read and even more that I've never heard of? And how come some of my friends who aren't really even into reading have lists almost as long as my own?

This is upsetting. I've really been slacking in my mass book consumptions. Stupid school getting in the way of my precious reading time! I wish I didn't have to spent hours upon hours in front of a computer doing homework when I could have my nose in a book!

I suppose that is what Christmas break is for. I've got a stack of 6 books lined up so far... which should last me the first week and a bit.

I would really like to get into the classics as well as take on one author and see if I can complete their entire collection. (Not all during the Christmas break, mind you)

And during all of this reading, I am also planning to continue work on my book... so that I can start to compile my own collection.

Sounds crazy right? Dare to dream, my friend.