Looking Back, Moving Forward: A Year In Review + Fourth Annual No-Kiss Blogfest

#DailyWings: "May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art--write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself." 
-Neil Gaiman

One of my main new year's resolutions from 2012 was to meditate every day for a certain amount of time either somewhere on campus or at home, and I'm excited to say that, for the most part, I succeeded. There's nothing better than lying on the grass in the campus arboretum, your vision cloaked by an entire blanket of blue sky, and letting your mind wander. 

There are two ways for me to engage in meditation -- one in which I try to rid my mind of all thoughts and cognition, and only allow sensations and feelings to take over the present moment. The other way is to simply not fight any of the thoughts that come to mind, but rather let them come as they "flow." Both are helpful for me when I want to re-organize my mind (as if it were a sock drawer!), and both are good for long hours of travel. 

I've been able to do a good bit of thinking during my road trip to and from New Orleans. Music on full blast. Changing time zones. Writing poetry. Stealing away in my books for hours at a time. Pondering over this question: What do I want 2013 to be about? 

Looking back on last year's resolutions while completing my annual review of personal achievements, I've realized these two lists don't quite parallel. Many of my accomplishments have nothing to do with my original goals, which goes to show how things can change over time. As always, here's a look at what helped define 2012 for me: 

Year in Review:

• Got into UNC-Chapel Hill's School of Journalism and Mass Communication
• Learned to cook -- mainly potatoes, vegetables and multiple variations of pasta; I still haven't gotten past the squeamishness of raw meat
• Reached 200 followers, 200 blog posts and 40,000 page views (thanks to you!)
• Hosted my second major blogfest and first chapter critique giveaway
• Published short stories in Carolina Creates Writers and The Collegiate Scholar
• Found something beautiful to be happy and appreciative about every single day
• Joined Everyday Ambassador as the curriculum developer
• Interned at Shanghai Children's Medical Center and led the China Perspectives on Mental Health (CPMH) project
• Hosted two writing workshops for North Carolina Fellows
• Became best friends with my Nikon D5100

Most of these accomplishments were as a result of hard work over time and taking chances at unexpected opportunities. For instance, I only learned to cook after stumbling upon an outstanding smartphone application, Epicurious in the Apple App Store. For those of you who are still crafting your goals for the new year, feel free to refer to my guide: 5 Steps to a Resolution You'll Stick With. As for mine? Here they are: 

Do you make new year's resolutions? What are you most looking forward to in 2013?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

And now it's time for Frankie Mallis's Fourth Annual No-Kiss Blogfest! Forty-two awesome bloggers have signed up to participate in this new year's tradition; it's not too late for you to join us! Also, be sure to check out the other blogfest entries. As a refresher, here's what it's all about: 

"Write a scene or post one from of your favorite books, movies, TV shows, pictures or WIP that show the almost kiss -- the rising, crushing, excruciating, longing, tension that comes  when two characters get oh-so-close to kissing that you can just feel it, want it, NEED it....and then...they don't!" 

This is my third time participating in Frankie's No-Kiss blogfest. You can find my 2011 and 2012 entries here and here, respectively. And I can think of no better way to ring in 2013 than with some heat! For today's blogfest, I took a bit more creative liberty with this piece than I usually do with most of my other blogfest entries. My fictional scene is based on two youthful characters from another short story I wrote two semesters ago. Enjoy! 

Cotton Candy and Other Distractions

The first time my family went to the state fair, I was seven and barely tall enough to ride the Jump Star kiddie carousel. My mom had always accompanied me to these kinds of things. She would hold my hand as I mounted the painted horse, one foot hanging over either side of the animal figure. 

Now I'm fifteen and I'm at the state fair with a boy I hardly know. His name's Benjamin Watkins, but everyone at school calls him Benny. Before, I never even talked to him -- only saw him running the track during gym. We found out we were into each other two weeks ago when he winked at me and slipped me a note in my locker, middle-school style. It's not official or anything, but now the whole school knows. 

My older sister Myra has told me about boys before, just like she tells me about everything else. She calls them greasy slime balls and says I better take care of my fragile heart, but what does she know? 

Benny's not the same, I think. So far, I've learned he's really into rock music, and in my book passion is always something to appreciate. He's nice, not like the assholes at school who make fun of my red hair and freckles. And there's something about the way he flips his hair and smiles all wide like he's happy to see me.

Pink strands of candy floss twist around my tongue. It's been ages since I've had cotton candy, and I don't remember it tasting this sweet. I'm thinking about how Myra had mentioned that it's important not to bare my teeth when Benny suddenly says, "Like it?" 

We're on a small hill, overlooking the fairgrounds. A thousand bright bulbs light up the entire exhibition, with colorful balloons bobbing up and down every few yards. It's peaceful where we rest, side by side, clutching our cotton candy and stuffed prizes. 

Benny's sitting in the grass next to me and wearing a dark blue Guns N' Roses T-shirt that Mom wouldn't approve of, but oh, he's gorgeous. Brown hair brown eyes brown everything -- like chocolate. I wonder how I'd been so lucky. 

"Oh yes. Strawberry's my favorite flavor," I say, grinning, and then quickly close my mouth. In my head, Myra's clucking her tongue and talking about how there's nothing less attractive than pink teeth. First date problems. "Thanks for getting the cotton candy for me." 

"'Course," Benny says. He shifts his position so that he's facing me. "I'm glad we got to do this." 

All of a sudden, he sounds a little nervous. This puzzles me. Benny's the confident and cool one. He's the class clown who thinks up of new ways to harass Ms. Teeter, the math teacher everyone hates. He's the guy whom everyone wants on their dodgeball team. He's the first guy I've ever really liked, but right now he's nervous and I'm thinking maybe he can tell that I'm new to this. 

Benny Watkins flips his hair like he's from One Direction and then, before I know it, his hand is on mine. I'm frozen and useless, not unlike the ice cream cone a small boy about ten yards away just dropped on the floor. Did he just take my hand? Yes he did, I think, and oh my gosh I don't know what to do -- 

"I really like you," he says. 

I turn my head, and realize his face is inches from mine. His eyes are getting smaller and smaller; he's closing them. A little voice inside me screams, The kiss! He wants to kiss you! But I'm new to this, so it's hard to know which way to turn my head -- left or right? My stomach is filled with squirming sensations that won't go away. I'm scared my nose is too big, but Benny's lips are coming and there's no time for fear. My other hand grips the paper cone, sticky from sweat and cotton candy. 

Just as Benny's lips part and pucker, I breathe and suck in as much as air as possible, not sure how long kisses are supposed to last. Suddenly, something gets caught in my nose. It tickles, and I can feel another sensation developing quickly, the kind you're not supposed to get when you're about to be kissed. My nose gives way. 

"A-CHOO!" 

Leftover cotton candy sugar stings the back of my throat. It takes me a moment to recover, and when I open my eyes there's Benny Watkins, looking startled and one hand in front of him like a shield. 

I mumble a meek "sorry," my cheeks burning, as he passes me a napkin. He assures me that "it's fine," but any prospects of intimacy are gone now and I'm left wondering how could a sneeze have ruined the perfect moment for me.

Wendy Lu

Looking Back, Moving Forward: A Year In Review + Fourth Annual No-Kiss Blogfest

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The F-Word We All Love and Hate

QOTD: What are your long-term goals, and how do you stay focused on them?

No, I'm not talking about that f-word. There's another one I'm talking about, and lately this little f-word has gotten my heart pumping, the thoughts in my mind racing and my palms sweating. (It's still not that one, you guys.)

The f-word I'm talking about is future. 

As we think about the future, it's easy to love when we know what it entails. We may not know where we will be in 10 years (alert: hallmark interview question), but if we're on what  seems to be the right pathway and love what we're doing, then the future seems a bit more promising. But when we have absolutely no idea what our future holds, a fear develops inside of us. It's frightening, not knowing what's going to happen or if things will be okay. And what's scariest of all is thinking that the things you are doing now are a waste of time and won't help you get to the next step toward your goals. 

David Sipress

There is a myth that you get used to college after the first few months... and, surely, by the middle of your sophomore year you're a pro at this whole college scene. You know the sneakiest shortcuts for getting to class quickly, which days of the week Sitar is open at the dining hall and which bathroom stalls to avoid (i.e. bottom of Lenoir...you Tar Heels know what I'm talking about). You know what the dealio is. You get used to the independence, the resources, the expectations. 

But the truth is, you never do. Maybe it's just me, but college life is constantly unpredictable. You never know what's thrown at you, no matter what year you are. I'm a sophomore, but sometimes I still feel like a freshman and don't have any idea what's going on in class, in Congress, in life. Only sometimes, though. 

I was making small talk with one of the girls in my psychology class today, and we both agreed: We all have our freshman days. And that's okay, because the best part about being a freshman is that you get to learn things you never knew, and you grow. 

College isn't like high school. During the first 18 years of most of our lives, the plan was laid out for us. Learn the ABC's. Attend grade school and then get through those crazy middle school years. Live through childhood and stumble into adolescence. Experience high school. Sign up for AP classes because your mom told you to, go to prom, take the SAT and apply for college. Get into college. Graduate. 

And then...and then what? Once you get into college, there's not really a plan you follow along with everyone else. Sure, you've got your advisers and your parents and your friends to refer to for guidance, but essentially you are on your own. What you make of yourself is up to you, and that responsibility is terrifying. There are hundreds of majors, minors and classes--the possibilities are endless. The number of research opportunities and extracurricular activities available is mind-blowing, so much that sometimes we lose sight of our interests and our goals that we just 'grab and take.' In that way, it's easy to lose focus about what really matters to us. 

There's pressure to be well-rounded and unique at the same time. There's the need to find something you personally love to do, but will also fulfill society's definition of 'successful.' Then comes the other f-word that we hate (we don't love it, you know), which is failure. And I'm not going to even talk about this one because it tends to send shivers down one's spine. And causes breakdowns. 

The truth is, this whole week I have felt a little lost. I prioritized which extracurricular activities are most important to me, and figured out what internships I want to focus on for the summer. I discovered that I actually like statistics and research, and I have no freaking clue what to do with this information. Ultimately, I am deciding what I want to do with the rest of my college career and how my decisions will be time-efficient and beneficial for my future. 

Basically, I'm striving for perfection - and I am failing. Since the beginning of August 2010, I have flirted with pre-medical studies, pharmacy school, biology, psychology, journalism, creative writing, journalism and finally both journalism and psychology. (I know, I'm such a player.) But now, the question is: What do I want to do with those majors? What fields do I want to concentrate within the area of journalism (Electronic media or Reporting? Design?), and what will my focus be in psychology (Child Development or Abnormal Psychology? Clinical therapy or research?). I don't even want to start thinking about graduate school (or if I will be going at all). 

I know I will make a lot of mistakes between now and the end of senior year. There will be peer pressure and other students in my fields of study who look like they know exactly what they're doing. But I am beginning to realize that the key to success does not depend on comparison, but personal efficacy. If I believe in my passions and my ability to pursue them, whatever they may be, then I am already halfway there. 

College is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, much like your first love or the publication of your first book. You never really get to experience that mixed rush of euphoria and confusion and excitement and fear all at once after it's over. Whether you're a freshman in college or smack in the middle of law school or a newbie in the corporate world, embrace the line of possibilities...all the better if you can't see the end of that line.

The F-Word We All Love and Hate

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"A Mustard Moment": 3rd Annual No-Kiss Blogfest

Thanks to Frankie, 55 bloggers and I have had an awesome opportunity to participate in the 3rd Annual No-Kiss Blogfest yesterday! My apologies for posting my entry one day late, but better late than never, right? The idea of the blogfest is pretty self-explanatory--

"Write a scene or post one from your favorite books, movies, or tv shows that show the almost kiss-- the rising, crushing, excruciating, longing, tension that comes  when two characters get oh-so-close to kissing that you can just feel it, want it, NEED it....and then...they don't!"

For the blogfest, I've decided to go with a scene between Will Schuester and Emma Pillsbury from the musical comedy, Glee. Sadly I couldn't find the scene on Youtube, but the scene is from Episode 6: "Vitamin D" in Season 1. Enjoy!

Lunch period was Emma's favorite time of the day. 

It wasn't that she didn't enjoy advising the children about sibling troubles and relationship woes and the unimportance of popularity (convincing them that the positively linear relationship between boob size and social life didn't matter was tough). 

Quite the contrary, in fact. 

Emma loved being a high school guidance counselor and listening to other people talk about their problems. She liked helping people. 

She especially liked helping Will Schuester, Spanish teacher and director of Glee Club, during lunch period.

Today, the topic was Glee Club. 

"The kids have gotten really complacent," Will was saying now, waving his sandwich around in frustration. "It's like their fires have totally gone out." That's when Emma spotted a smudge of yellow mustard on his chin. She repressed a snort. Seeing the mustard didn't bother her as much as it should have. It looked so funny.

That was one of the best things about Will. When Emma was around him, she felt more comfortable. Her OCD wasn't as big of a problem and wasn't as big of a controlling factor. She could enjoy herself.

Emma cleared her throat and looked down. "Um," she said. "Um, I'm sorry. You've just, ah, you've got a little mustard on your...well, your cute Kirk Douglas chin dimple." 

Was she blushing? Maybe. It did feel a little warm in the room. Emma could never tell what she physically felt like when Will was around. All she knew was that when William spoke to her, she couldn't focus on anything. And for Emma, that was saying something. 

"Wha-?" Will swagged his tongue over his chin and gave Emma an inquiring look as if to ask, did I get it? He laughed and her heart skipped a beat. 

"Um, well, ah..." She reached out one of her plastic-gloved porcelain-like hands over to Will's chin and swabbed the mustard off. "There."

Her fingers rested on his jawline. She smiled, and then noticed that he was looking at her. Really looking at her. His hazel eyes were electrifying. He hadn't looked at her like that since last month when they were alone cleaning Miss. Hoffmire's classroom and he'd brushed chalk dust off of her nose. 

She told herself, don't look at his mouth, don't look at his mouth. She looked at his mouth. He was staring at her, too. her heart began pounding inside. It was like the daily high school stampede into the cafeteria all over again. 

Will whispered, "thanks." 

"A Mustard Moment": 3rd Annual No-Kiss Blogfest

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Four Secrets to a Successful Application

QOTD: What do you think is the best measure for intelligence?

At some point during your life, you will find yourself in a situation in which you will have to apply for something--perhaps a job, college, scholarships, or even a higher position at work. I hope you find these four key steps I've listed below to be a beneficial and encouraging guide towards making your application stick out from all the rest.

1. Avoid wordiness, and vary your sentence structure. Cut out any unnecessary phrases that might be 1) stating the obvious, 2) repetitious of another similar phrase you wrote, or 3) is less than flattering/doesn't help your case. Every word in your application should have a purpose. That being said, vary your syntax and diction use--try not to use an adjective (such as "enthusiastic" or "inspiring" or "transforming") more than twice and avoid using the same phrase more than once. If you have to, paraphrase or reword a sentence. Also, try not to use useless words like "very, extremely, hardly, etc." Get the point and be straightforward.

2. Remember, when you are filling out an application, you are selling yourself. Don't feel like you need to be too modest or timid, but at the same time don't come off as arrogant or snooty. Tell the truth without exaggerating. For instance, don't say "I often try to stay positive during hard situations as best as I can." Instead, say "I am a positive person, and always focus on keeping a positive outlook when I am faced with a difficult situation." This shows that you have a sense of confidence and truly packs a punch. Application readers remember and are impressed by applicants who know and recognize their strengths and play at them.

3. Use your anecdotes wisely. Anecdotes are a great way for you to make your application unique. Just as every word should have a purpose, every anecdote you use should too. They should tell something about yourself and who you are in terms of values, personality, and/or preferences. However, in an essay, an anecdote should only be a third of the essay, and the other two-thirds should be focused on providing reasoning and persuasion of why the readers should pick you, using your anecdote as an example and as proof to help you back up what you say.

4. As closely as you can without going insane, pay attention to the little things. This not only includes making sure your spelling and grammar is correct, but also the format. If your application ends up being two pages and two sentences, you should eliminate those last two so that your entire paper takes up two neat little pages. You don’t want any tails hanging on at the end, printed on yet another brand new page with the rest being occupied by white space. Same with sentences--try to avoid trailing tails. Be consistent when you bold/italicize/underline and make sure you have no careless mistakes such as extra spaces between words or the absence of a period at the end of a sentence. This may seem really nit-picky, but it can really irk readers to find an easily avoidable error that "pops out" and takes away their attention from what's important--your application.

Four Secrets to a Successful Application

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30-Day Challenge 24: "Why I Write YA" Blogfest

Question of the Day: Why do YOU write (or read) YA?

Day 24: What are five things you like about yourself?

1) I am extremely compassionate and empathetic towards people who are struggling through difficult situations, especially if they are health-related.

2) I like having a quirky obsession with Smallville, Superman, and comics in general; I actually don't know many girls who enjoy comics and superheroes.

3) My love for writing makes me feel happy and purposeful every single day; why wouldn't I like a trait that makes me happy?

4) I think that my ability to be extremely self-aware prevents me from going insane on a daily basis; I'm glad that I can keep up with my thoughts and feelings, compartmentalize them in my mind, and take control over them before they take over me

5) Family and the people I care about are number one. Because I have met some extremely appalling people in my life who don't really practice the good habit of putting themselves in others' shoes, the kind and genuine individuals whom have I had the good fortune to meet, befriend and now love are very important to me. I do and would do anything for them.

Today, Gabi at Iggi and Gabi is hosting a really neat blogfest as part of the YA Cafe Friday Specials. The reason I decided to participate is because YA literature is increasingly becoming prevalent in today's society and it's not a topic I have touched base with before on my blog. Also, despite the fact that YA is one of my favorite genres to read and write, when I first read the blogfest name my answer was blank, which really puzzled me since I would've thought it'd come to me immediately, being the YA lover I am.

So after pondering all day (hence, the reason why I am late in writing my entry--sorry about that! Better be fashionably late than never show up, eh?), I decided on my answer:

The reason I write Young Adult is because...

1) The age of adolescence/young adulthood is one of the most transforming stages in a lifetime. Think about it, a lot happens--the want and need for independence, struggle to maintain healthy relationships with significant others/friends/family, the search for one's place in a social setting as well as in the world, and the beginning of the search for one's identity. It's a time of trial and error. There are the most physical, mental and emotional changes in this period, which makes it so darn intriguing to write about.

2) Young adulthood is linked with so many experimental firsts, such as first love, first taste of rebellion, first change in physicality, and first brush with the bitter truths about responsibility and mistakes. All young adults go through these, but every young adult experiences these things differently. In observing adolescents that I interact with or pass by down the street, I see the way young adults react and the affects that certain situations have on them--and something about those observations compel me to create characters based on them. If I take these characters and put them in, say, a motorcycle accident (which was brought upon from that first taste of rebellion), how would they react? How would this affect every single aspect of their lives as young adults?

3) Young adulthood is controversial and paradoxical. As a young adult, you get to be risky and wild, but you also understand what it means to be serious and in what circumstances is it essential to behave seriously. You have the ability to appreciate even life's littlest things, but you also capture the big picture as well. You have enough intelligence to understand even the most complicated and abstract concepts, and yet you still have so, so much to learn. You are teeming with emotions and adrenaline (thanks, hormones!) and passion and overwhelming thoughts and experiences from a unique perspective. That makes for a zesty, identifiable character and one hell of a fascinating story.

Thanks Gabi for hosting such a great blogfest! Be sure to check out the rest of the entries here.

30-Day Challenge 24: "Why I Write YA" Blogfest

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30-Day Challenge 21: "Easy A" Movie Review

QOTD: Have you ever seen a movie that was loved by most but hated by you?

Day 21: A picture of something that makes you happy.

Why, do you ask, does this picture make me happy? Well for one, it's FOOD. More specifically, it's p-a-s-t-a, probably my favorite foods of all time (besides chocolate, of course hehe). But this particular dish makes me smile because this was the result of my very first independent cooking lesson. Using a simple recipe from my SparkRecipes BlackBerry phone app, I concocted this delicious lunch for myself last week. Reaction? Quite truthfully, it was one of the best pasta I've ever eaten--and that's saying A LOT! Two hours of squinting at the labels on ingredients and praying that I wouldn't burn anything was totally worth it.

So a couple nights ago I decided to have a break from Smallville re-runs (the series finale aired last week!!), and have a movie night! I decided on Easy A because I'm always in the mood for a good laugh and it's been a while since I've seen a chick flick.

I was really not planning on saying this about the movie because I'd had pretty high hopes for it, but the truth is, I have to give Easy A a D- for being one of the worst movies I have ever seen. It wasn't the acting or even the crazy sex jokes....it was the unrealistic, raunchy script that had me burying my face with my hands and groaning with embarrassment for the writers.

It could've been an okay film if it didn't have so much exaggeration in EVERYTHING. Plus, I couldn't help but think of it as a mix between Mean Girls and A Cinderella Story during the whole thing--except those two movies are way better than Easy A.

Note: I try not to include any big spoilers or give away really important information--I don't see myself as a party pooper! :) So read away.

Short Summary: This comedy takes place in high school and follows Olive, a usually sharp "good girl" with a clean record who starts to believe that perhaps having a bad reputation is better than having no reputation at all--and thus begins to lie about her relationship status and virginity. It's a modern tale of the classic novel, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (which I read in high school and have to say is very good).

Story: To me, the story of a movie is the world that it was set up in (for example: "Harry Potter" set in the Wizarding World, "Pearl Harbor" set in WWII era, etc.). There's not really much to say about this category since the movie's reality is, well, pretty realistic--it's set up in the dramatic, over-the-top world of high school in today's age. In terms of the cliques, teaching staff, and student body portrayed in the story, everything was pretty accurate. Rating: 5/5

Plot: The plot equals the problem and is the whole reason why there's a movie in the first place. I think it was really interesting and clever how the film creators were able to produce a modern-day Scarlet Letter tale...it was based along the same lines but included its own twists along the way that made it unique. However, like everything else, it was a bit exaggerated and I don't know if anything like that would happen in real life. I can't actually imagine something like that occurring at my own high school. *rolls eyes* Rating: 4/5

Characterization: Eh, this was half and half I suppose. I did enjoy Olive's character, she was easy to like and easy to identify with. Without giving too much away, even though she made some bad choices, we as the audience know her intentions were good. I also enjoyed getting to know the other high school students who were represented in the movie--they were funny, realistic, unique in their own way, and all-around interesting to watch as they interacted with Olive. The main problem I have is how the adults who play active roles in teens' lives are made out to be irresponsible and immature, act practically like kids themselves, and lack morals that educators/parents such as themselves ought to have. Perhaps their characterizations were meant to be humorous, but I personally disliked those characters who should have served as role models in the end, not older versions of "juvenile delinquents." Rating: 3/5

Costumes: Well the characters mainly wore normal "high school" outfits, with the exception of Olive's infamous "Scarlet Letter" costumes (yes, she had more than one!). I thought that they were beyond cute, well-made, and did a great job singling her out amongst her peers as the "scandalous" one. Rating: 5/5

Acting: It's really sad...some of Hollywood's most well-known actors (including Amanda Bynes, Thomas Haden Church, Lisa Kudrow, Alyson Michalka and Stanley Tucci) were brought together to create a hilarious teen comedy that could've been really great had it not been blown out of proportion. The acting was terrible--it was ish. It was what the filmmakers wanted the actors to say and do that was bad and made them come across as, well, outrageous. I do have to say that Olive was a charm. She was a very likable main character and was played by a great actress. Rating: 3/5

Script: I cannot fully express my disappointment over how awful the script was. It was overly excessive most of the time and constant repetition of the same humorous jokes just totally sucked the funny out of everything. Several times I wanted to look away, cover my ears and yell, "Stop! STOP! That's enough!" I feel so bad that such a wonderful cast had to work with such a catastrophic script. One major downfall that completely turned me off was that it tantalizes and makes fun of Christianity in ways that are extremely not cool. And this wasn't just lighthearted, appropriate jesting, but rather mocking and condescending banter. Bad, bad. Rating: 2/5

Action/Drama: There was a ton of drama in the movie--how could there not be when the setting takes place in high school? A lot of it was pretty funny, but only when the situations weren't highly exaggerated or unnecessarily complicated by unrealistic turning points (see how I'm trying to be vague so as not to give anything too much away?). I know a comedy is a comedy, but still. Way too much is more than enough. Rating: 3/5

Digital Design: Not much was used here (unlike in movies such as Avatar and Inception) I did like how zooms and slow motion were used to show passage of time and communication between students when the rumors were being spread around the school. Free pass. Rating: 5/5

Direction/Production: The direction itself wasn't too bad...I thought that the webcast that Olive publicized online and used to tell her story was pretty clever, and I liked how things were angled so that it was constantly in Olive's perspective. The scenes flowed together well--I didn't think anything was missing or too choppy. But it could've been better. Rating: 3/5

Overall Quality: While this movie had some aspects of ingenuity, to me its cons outweigh the pros. Above anything, this movie is a satire of the craziness that is high school culture--hmm, perhaps I didn't find it amusing enough because it was only a few months ago when I myself was a part of that jungle? Anyhow, the filmmakers (especially the writers) tried way too hard to make it seem funny and witty, when the result was just very strained, weak, and rather embarrassing humor. I feel sorry for the Hollywood stars who played in this movie and had to use their remarkable acting skills to pull off stupid, over-the-top lines and outlandish, unrealistic behavior. I also didn't feel like the ending was well-handled....a lot of issues brought up in this movie are pretty significant and prominent when it comes to adolescence, and the overall message was there, but it just didn't seem like there was a strong enough closure.

Overall Rating: 3.7/5

All that being said, I do think that there is a movie out there for someone. What I may think is absolutely ridiculous may just be your perfect Blockbuster. :)

30-Day Challenge 21: "Easy A" Movie Review

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Retold Blogfest: "David Speaks, Melinda Doesn't"

*gasp* Yes. Yes, I am writing a post that does not involve Harry Potter. That's because it's November 16th, the day of Sarah's Retold Blogfest at The Wit and Wisdom of Sarah. Congratulations to Sarah for keeping up such a wonderful blog and reaching her 100th post.

For the Retold Blogfest, we are supposed to write a scene from another book/tale/novel from another character's point of view. I just finished reading Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. I loved this book and really admire Anderson's way of writing and bringing readers into the mind of her main character. Therefore, I have decided to write my Blogfest entry on the "Stupid, Stupid" scene from Speak, in which David Petrakis asks Melinda to come over for "celebratory pizza". I have written this scene from David's point of view.

I hope you enjoy.

David Speaks, Melinda Doesn't

There were ten seconds left in the last basketball game of the season. The air was thick with screams and shouts as a Hornet dashed towards the basket, but I could hear none of it. The scoreboard read 50-50. My eyes were glued on #12, who was dribbling to ball towards the goal, the key to our school's pride. As though in slow motion, #12 dodged two Coatesville Cougars and reached towards the gym ceiling. In one swift movement, the ball fell through the basket.

There was silence, and then there was an immense uproar. My friends and Dad and I sprinted up from our seats and screamed, clapped, and cried along with the rest of the crowd. We had won. How was that for the Horny Hornets of Merryweather High School?

"WE WON! WE WON!!!"

"Damn, that was one amazing shot!"

"He did it in just one move..."

"Legendary, man."

"WE WON! WE WON!"

"Didn't even get pushed on the way to the basket!"

"Faked right, duh."

I loved basketball and always had since I was a kid. This was by far one of the best high school basketball games I'd ever seen. That #12...whoever he was, he was going places.

We pushed through the doors, still conversing excitedly about the game. Suddenly, I caught sight of that Melinda girl, the one from Social Studies class. The one with blistered lips and a dumb, blinky-blink look when people asked her questions. I couldn't believe she was here. I barely ever saw Melinda at any school events or activities except for the Art room. Knowing my friends wouldn't miss me if I disappeared for just a few moments, I walked towards my lab partner.

"Melinda! Where were you sitting?" Blink, blink.

"Did you see that last shot?! Unbelievable! Unfreakinglievable." I pretended for a moment that I was #12, and mimicked his movements with the ball. I dribbled, dodged imaginary obstacles, dribbled some more, and then swished. Melinda's eyes followed my motions, but she never said a word. Go figure.

"I mean, seriously, where did that guy learn to shoot like that? Even before the end, he was already getting us some serious points. I bet he's gonna win a scholarship some day." I rambled on, hoping to spark Melinda's interest somehow.

This was crazy...I was talking to myself. I mean, I'm not a total genius or anything, but usually I can figure most people out. But Melinda? Nothing. It was like...whenever I tried to talk to her and dig in deeper to find out who she was, what Melinda was like, there was nothing but a brick wall to block my way. What I feared most was that there was nothing to find out. That she was a dummy.

Ding! Light bulb. I had an idea.

"Say, why don't you come over and have some pizza with me? Dad's getting three boxes for us to chow down back at my place...you know, to celebrate the Hornets' success!"

Blink, blink.

"Come on, Mel. You gotta' come with us! My dad told me I could bring anyone I wanted. We can give you a ride home after if you want. It'll be fun. You do remember fun, don't you?"

I thought I saw Melinda twitch for a moment...her lips. They had made some sort of movement, but no sound came out. She gave me a twisted look, a cross between a half smile and a grimace, and made the teeniest motion with her left hand. It was obviously a no thanks.

I shrugged. "No? Okay then, no. Suit yourself. See you Monday." I walked away.

As far as I was concerned, Melinda wasn't going places like #12. In fact, she wasn't going anywhere unless she learned how to speak.

~~~~~~~

So what do you think? =)

~TRA

Retold Blogfest: "David Speaks, Melinda Doesn't"

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The 411 On College Orientation

Question of the Day: What brand of water do you drink? Do you think the different brands really matter all that much?

Sorry for the lateness! Orientation really wore me out and so I've just been resting the past couple of days. I can't really sum up all the puzzle pieces that make up College Orientation in just one blog post, so I'll briefly go over just a few of the highlights:

1) The first day was all about preparation for the second day (aka Registration for Classes Day).

2) It was literally session after session after session...two hours on alcohol abuse, thirty minutes on meal plans and dining services, one point five hours on campus safety. Don't get me wrong, all that stuff is important and I learned a lot, but honestly, after that fifth session of simply sitting in my seat in the Auditorium and nothing else, my legs were about to start jerking and convulsing at any second.

3) Registration for classes is probably one of the most stressful events I have ever experienced. We were under a timed schedule and only had an hour and a half to pick out all of the classes we were interested in and make a schedule that wasn't too crowded and was evenly balanced between Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Tuesdays and Thursdays and gave us enough time to study, eat, sleep, and breathe.

4) All that stressing out in #3 was 95% probably for nothing because almost all schedules that are created at College Orientation/Registration are changed after the semester begins. Apparently students drop and add classes faster than they swat flies.

5) College is nothing like high school. I mean, I knew that even before I went to Orientation, but I lived it on Monday and Tuesday. Sure, some things never change (like the relationship between male and female) ...but a lot do (like having to live in a cubicle with somebody you've never met before).

6) Sleeping in a dorm room with somebody you don't know is actually very odd. You suddenly are extremely aware and self-conscious of your daily habits and begin to realize that maybe sleeping with your stuffed monkey isn't so cool.

7) College dining halls have much better food than high school cafeterias.

8) Your keys and your ID card become your life. I was only at Orientation for two days and the one thing I did most often (most often = every five minutes) was scramble around in my bag to check that my room key and ID card were still there. It's not like your key and card have legs or anything, but after a while you get so paranoid that you make believe they do.

9) Shower shoes (or even Crocs or flip flops) are a must! The grossest thing you can encounter is several pairs of FEET strutting about on the very same floor that thousands of other students' toesies have. Um, ew?

10) The two things that people want to know about you at Orientation are: (A) Your Name and (B) Your Major.

Overall it was relatively boring and I made few friends, but I definitely learned a lot about what college will be like. And if that wasn't the whole purpose of Orientation, then I dunno what was. :)

In addition, tomorrow I will be graduating from high school!! HHHUUURRRAAAYYYY!!!!... to be honest I'm not that excited. I kind of feel like I've already graduated, probably because school itself ended quite a few weeks ago. I'm most excited about going out to eat and my graduation party on Sunday. Photos of yummy food is to come. :) Still working on that character profile, ehh that should probably get posted sometime next week.

Have a great weekend!

~TRA

The 411 On College Orientation

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A Fulfilled Legacy

Question of the Day: What television show character do you identify with the most and why?

Today, our high school's literary magazine was officially published and printed. 25 brand new copies, trimmed and bounded by our lovely Graphics Department chair. Don't you just love the smell and feel of freshly made books? As editor-in-chief of the publication, I've been swelling up full of pride and joy over this third issue and been reflecting now more than ever about Graduation and what sort of contributions I have made to my high school.

You see, the school's "Lit Mag" had died by the time I was a freshman; it had been at least three or four years since the last issue had been printed and nobody had desired to pick it back up. So I did. Each year since then I've been brought back Lit Mag club and have now published three issues of the new Literary Magazine. And I have to say that this year's is by far the best.

The mag is more well-known around the school now, so we got a lot more submissions than we ever have before...more than 60 ENTRIES! We also had an amazing layout designer who worked everyday in class on the magazine, and some great editors that were a part of the club. It's been a ton of work--one year's amount of effort, in fact--but it's been sooooo worth it. This magazine has been my legacy to the school. There are students who were able to use our magazine to express their feelings and emotions through creative writing and visual artwork...students who often are overlooked, students whom others would never have guessed had an artistic side. And this, knowing that I'm helping my fellow peers get their work out, is the best reward I've gotten from printing this magazine year after year.

I am very proud of the club and of myself and am so glad this was able to be accomplished, especially right before my senior year is over. A great end to a great chapter of my life.

Here is one of the poems that got published in this issue of our literary magazine:

Magnification of Ten

(c) The Red Angel

My booming piece of laughter

and crystallized teardrops

along with the fluttering wings of my heart

Are all magnified by ten.

I've been told before

That my comforting arms are like that of an angel,

That my words cut deep like a knife.

And the sad thing is they are true,

for I can see the angel and feel the knife.

My love is like no other love

My jealousy is poisoning and plastic,

And my hatred is traumatic

Emotions of my being are extraterrestrial.

Dare you touch me?

Do any of you like to write poetry?

Here's a little photo of the day.

~TRA

*The photo and poem are owned by me.

A Fulfilled Legacy

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Prom 2010: A Night On the Town - New York, New York

Question of the Day: What was your prom like?

Happy Grey Sunday! Where I am right now, the sky is rather dull-looking but the winds feel nice and breezy! Sorry these prom pictures are so late! I was naturally exhausted when I got back home on Friday, and yesterday I spent half the time cooking and half the time nursing my poor aching feet.

Our theme for this year's Prom 2010 was A Night On the Town: New York, New York. I didn't take a photo of the actual prom area because unfortunately it wasn't as well-decorated as I'd hoped it to be. There were only large street signs with famous New York street names like Broadway and 42nd St. On our tables there were several plastic sunglasses, and the ceiling was adorned with bright yellow lights. Other than that, it was quite dark and plain.

Unfortunately, the music was a big disappointment. The only genre they really had was hip hop and R&B. I definitely don't have anything against that type of music, but it was literally ALL they played for the bulk of Prom. :( Only at the beginning and towards the end did they play other music such as Train. There was only one slow-dancing song.

Food included an assortment of many fruits, some amazingly delicious Cheddar cheese cubes, fried chicken and honey mustard, cookies, and much more yummy stuff!

Here are photos of my complete outfit that I wore to prom. Photos of my shoes will come soon. Enjoy!

Halter Top Dress: The Body Shop. Approximately $30. Red sashes, printed flowers. Since I am rather a petite little creature, buying dresses for myself is pretty difficult. I found this lovely dress over a year ago and it still fits me! Love, love this dress...it's just formal enough for prom (see the ruffled lace at the bottom of the dress in another photo), but also appropriate for a dinner party. Only thing is that it's rather cut low so I had to fasten a safety pin at the back so it wouldn't show off too much. xD I feel really lucky that I didn't have to spend ridiculous amounts of money for my prom dress like some of the other girls did!!

Close-up on the dress.

Lace detail! Gives the dress a perfect finishing touch. Makes the dress fancier and longer than it would've been without it. I usually don't like lace on my clothes but I really like this!!! What do you all think of lace detailing?

Flower Hair Accessory: Claire's. Approximately $5. Adorned with feathers and glitter. I chose this to match my dress and it also seemed like something that a New York flapper would've worn back in the Roarin' 20's. There's a clip on the back so you can easily fasten it on any side or at angle in your hair.

Black Clutch Purse: New York & Company. I forgot how much this cost. =( At first it doesn't look very roomy, but once you really open it up you see exactly how much space you have...which is a lot! I put in tons of stuff, including a bottle of water, my camera and cell phone, and lots more trinkets. Simple yet made fancy. It's a great addition for outfits of any occasion!

~TRA

Prom 2010: A Night On the Town - New York, New York

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The Last Monday of March

Question of the Day: What or who inspires you to succeed and be the best that you can be?

This is the last Monday of March, 2010! It is remarkably scary how fast time is flying. I am already on my 30th blog post! Thankfully, I do not have any school due to Teacher Workday, so today is going to be pretty laid-back and more personal than usual. I won't get into any hardcore topics but will instead post a "Monday Five" list. This is usually meant for Friday ("Friday Five!") but oh well. If you are not familiar with this type of list, it is mainly discussing five specific areas or aspects of one's life at the current state. Great way to wrap up the weekend and start a 4-Day School Week!

1) Writer's Block = Conquered! Unfortunately, besides blogging, I have been procrastinating a lot of what I happen to love to do the most: writing. It seems almost paradoxical, doesn't it? Unfortunately, writer's block has a lot to do with it. Lately, my daily writing process has been going about something like this: Wake up, vow to get crackin' with my writing project, go to school, come back, almost decide to write, actually decide to surf the Internet for a couple of hours, eat a snack, make a few extremely minor changes in my writing project and consider that "an accomplishment," eat and surf some more, play the piano, eat dinner, cram in a few words, go to bed, suffer from insomnia due to guilt over not writing more, finally fall asleep, wake up. And the cycle goes on and on. It's pretty sad. So much for a March NaNoWriMo, eh? :/

However, a few days ago I experienced one of the best feelings ever: inspiration. I'm not sure if being inspired or being an "inspirer" feels better, but I can definitely tell you that both make you feel like you are on top of the world and that you can do anything you desire. I'd like to thank Stephanie Perkins for being the main source of inspiration and new encouragement for this week. Her awesome featured post on Frankie's blog on Thursday, March 25 discussed procrastination, and oh dear it felt like I was being seen right through and through...she hit me right in the soft spot! I've been procrastinating my writing project for almost half a month [yes, shame on me] now. It's like she took all of my procrastination station faults and stuffed them all in this one blog post. Hard as it was to admit my problems, it was also relieving to know that my feelings of procrastinating on the one thing that I LOVE aren't uncommon and have reasons behind them. It didn't make me feel so horrible anymore. Instead, I've become inspired to fight procrastination and lunge myself back into writing! Hopefully I can stay motivated, but whenever I feel like that procrastinator bug is creeping up and over me again, I'll turn back to Steph's blog post and remember her words. =D

My Weekend Goal was to write 500 words. That's not much at all, but I think it's best to start off slowly and realistically. I hope to build up to 2,000 each day to get back into my stride. I wrote over 200 words yesterday. :')

2) Monday's Perks. I love a 4-Day week, don't you? More time to eat, sleep, work on my super duper writing project, work on my high school's literary magazine (which I have also sadly been procrastinating), and work on my high school newspaper's April Fool's issue (which the co-editors-in-chief have put me in charge of). Whew! Doesn't sound very relaxing, but this lovely long weekend has given me a chance to catch up on all of the things that I've been procrastinating (not just literary work). And after this week comes Spring Break!

3) No Smallville. For the past few weeks, Smallville hasn't been coming on because of spring break. College spring break. I am so glad that I'm not going anywhere for Spring Break, otherwise I'd have to miss the first episode! As much as I want to know and watch and hear more of Smallville, the other half of me is pining for the show to slow down and take its time in airing the last season and a half. I've been an avid viewer of Smallville for a little less than nine years (ever since it premiered in October 2001), and it's quite sad knowing that my favorite show will be ending in less than two years. Have any of you fine readers ever had to say goodbye to a favorite television in the past? How did you cope with it?

4) Illness. Unfortunately, I have been sick since Friday with a cough and sore throat. Today marks the third day, and I am much better. The weather has been a drama queen lately... going from the mid 8's and sunshine to a burr-burr 40's, and now it is 60 degrees and raining. No wonder I got sick. Plus, there seems to be some sort of bug going around. Spring is rapidly approaching, and with it comes early April showers and pollen (aka allergy season) and vulnerable immune systems. Even with all of these, I am ready to spread my arms open and welcome spring. And I think spring is glad to finally be here as well.

5) Self Magazine. Now that my AP Government class is cooling it with the copious amounts of textbook reading we usually have assigned each week, I have been able to catch up with the last two months' issues of Self Magazine. A basic overview: a monthly magazine targeted mainly to women; it is a confidence-boosting mag that features ways in which women can eat, socialize, and exercise healthier. It also includes fashion, makeup, and health-related articles. I'm a little too young to be reading it (it's not that the content is too mature or anything, but most of the readers are well into the 20's and I'm only 17), but it still makes me feel happier and livelier when I read it. I'm going to write a later blog post about this magazine, because it's just that good. :] Stay tuned for more information on Self!

Have a nice Monday, everyone!

~TRA

The Last Monday of March

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Our Year

Question of the Day: What novel or other book have you read in the past that permanently changed you in some way?

I do not have enough time tonight to write a blog post from scratch, but expect one tomorrow! :) Meanwhile, here is a small segment of writing that I found under my old Facebook notes earlier on today. It is a little outdated, as the SAT portions are not relevant anymore (I took my last SAT in October 2009, hurray!) and Homecoming Week has passed by long ago. Nonetheless, it is still rather up-to-date, since it is only March and you have the rest of 2010 to make the beginning of a new decade shine your way. This Note is obviously directed towards a young audience of high schoolers, but the message can be applied to all. Enjoy!

Our Year 2010

A few months ago, I read this on my friend's Facebook status: "It may not be my week, but it's gonna be my year." I was feeling rather lachrymose about life that day, but when I read those words, I realized that I didn't HAVE to feel discouraged if I chose not to. Moaning over one day or even one week was okay as long as I didn't moan over an entire year. What a waste of tears that would be, when I could be spending those tears on laughter instead at a friend's house while playing Guitar Hero, or over a silly SAT word that seems to mean hooves with bees flying all around rather than benefit. Then again, it would probably be BEEHOOVE me to properly learn my SAT vocabulary as well as make this my year even if it isn't my week.

We all have bad days. They are a part of life and one cannot go through life without having them. But every day does not have to be a bad day. Be curious. Take time to reflect on why this day was so bad and what can be done to make it better. Take a walk outside. Sing in the rain. Play chess with yourself so that you can guarantee a win. It's our senior year. OUR year.

We're the Class of 2010 and that's never going to change. Our school has obviously implemented some new policies that may not be for the better, but we can still make this an amazing year. Homecoming Week, Prom, Graduation in June. It's all going to be amazing, but in between then, do something to make this your year. Our year. Why not? Why not send in that Letter to the Editor to the school newspaper that you've been itching to submit since freshman year? Why not do a small random act of kindness that ends up making someone else's day? Why not write a note to your favorite teacher, letting him know how much you loved AP Euro. Why not have a little faith in yourself and tutor someone in a subject you're beastly at? The feeling of knowing you helped someone be a better person, in whatever way, is priceless. So is that small "thank you" when they come and show you their first A+ in biology.

I try to open my eyes every morning and think of something creative to do that day. Something different, something bold. And now that I realize I have a limited number of days at home and in high school, now more than ever will I try to make this my year. I cannot wait to walk across that stage, receive my diploma, and know that it was us, the Class of 2010, that made our high school an even better place than it was before.

Our Year

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