Happy Mother's Day!!!

For all the mothers out there, this day is for you. Crappy or wonderful, endlessly flawed or nearly perfect, your parentage has created the people of the world. *Shrugs* Yes, that sounds obvious (like some of those math properties like "a=a" or something), but that means a lot in the great scheme of things. And you know, as weird as it is, I had a dream last night (a seemingly long dream, you know the kind) that I was going to be a mother. And it terrified me. But all the same, the thought of bringing this little person into the world just amazed me, made me wonder, even through all the flat-out proven science, how such a thing could be possible. I don't know if I want to have children. I KNOW I'm only fifteen, that this isn't the time of my life where I have to make that decision, but the thoughts and questions about my future still swirl around in my head. SO the point I'm trying to make here is that if I do become a mother, in ten years or twenty, I hope I'm as good a mommy as mine has been. I love you, Mama.

~Josie

Yes. My apologies.

:-))))) This is for you. You know who you are. See below.

~Josie

a.k.a.

Your Math Buddy

p.s. I TOTALLY know the nod you were talking about!!

hAhAhAHaHaHaHahAhAhaHHaahaAa

More post labels. w00t.

This should be fun

I've decided I need some more labels/tags/whatever-you-wanna-call-'ems for my posts, because (and forgive me if I sound a bit on the eccentric side here) I keep clicking "show all" when I add tags to the end of a post, but I forget to add new ones. Which is stupid. So this is just for more labels. Heh heh heh.

~Josiepoobearface (thank yoooooou Z)

Hello, World!!!!

HELLO, ALL!!!! I was inspired to blog again after I realized--after I wrote for an hour straight in my diary last night--that my blog had been sadly ignored since the middle of March! Basically Cabaret ruled my life from mid-March until......well, now, and I am WIPED and DEPRESSED. I mean, not in a serious way--it hsn't really hit me that the show is OVER and the seniors of this year will never, ever, EVER be performing on that stage in a musical again. I'm worried when it will I won't be able to stop crying.

Anyway, I miss the blogosphere. And............yea, enough said about that.

I also hope to add more of my writing to this blog, which may or may not interest some of you, but I am itching for some feedback on various things. So if you have a critique, good or bad (but not bitchy), feel free to add it. See, blogs are actually PERFECT for writing--comments are like little spaces for simple critiques, if that made any sense whatsoever. :-)

See y'all around!

~Josie

Steamers are sooooooooooo stress-relieving, it's insane

Before I begin with more trivial, of-no-interest tidbits, I just thought I should let the world know that

I'M ON SPRING BREAK!!!!! FOR TWO WEEKS!!

See, this is the great thing about my school. (Aside from everything else I love about it, of course.) We start a hell of a lot earlier than most schools, and sometimes end later, and have longer school days, but we get more breaks in between. And longer spring breaks, thank the divine Parents. I get to party for sixteen days until it's three weeks until Cabaret (what's wrong with THAT picture?!?!?!? *submits to minor spaz attack thinking of how far behind we are on dance numbers*), almost true MN spring, and time for English and Math all over again.

Anywho, anyway, anyhow, anypoo, this past weekend, my first few days of my much deserved break after FINALS (*shudder*), I spent sleeping, going to quartet with only the second violinist and our coach (who just happens to be a cellist), and removing wallpaper. Yes, with steamers, hence this post's title...........I'll let y'all in on a little secret. If you're going to be removing any wallpaper from any room of your home, use steamers. They are a Godsend. And make sure you've got back-up people in case the idiots before you put the paper on wrong and it peels off the wall as easily as that cement-like glue from CD covers. Mine, thankfully, was applied correctly, and therefore we finished not only my room, which is pretty spacious (for those of you who don't know me), but our downstairs bathroom in LESS THAN 24 HOURS. It was amazing. The Pay-Rents were happy, and I was happy I made them do it this break--if we'd done it in the summer like they'd been planning on, we all would have died of heat stroke. (My room is the hottest in the house--that says it all.) And for another secret, taking off that stuff is a wonderful stress/anger-reliever, oh lord. You steam the crap out of it, and it peels off in enormous strips you can rip to shreds, and THEN you take your scraper and scrape the crap out of the rest of the wallboard you just steamed almost clean. Of course, you have to be careful not to actually rip through the plaster or wallboard or whatever you've got, because that would just be inconvenient, but other than that, it's something everyone should do when they're angry at some point. So that was my first weekend of break.

Since then, I've been getting in touch with my retro/vintage side--HAHAHA that was a JOKE for those of you who know me.

(For those readers who do not, I believe my life's purpose is to bring back the bygone eras, specifically the 1860's (Gone With the Wind, anyone???), the 1880's-90's, and the 1940's-60's. Especially the 50's. So really, I'm always in touch with that retro side, because that's practically my ONLY side. In a nutshell, I think the truly good fashions are out the window and far from home. So I guess I'll have to fix that.)

But I did watch Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, which is both funny as hell and sobering, and Now and Then, and they together got me in that old-timey-thinking mode that I sometimes get stuck in. So today I wore my jean capris, a red short-sleeved shirt tucked in (don't worry, it would be acceptable to even the harshest fashion police--I do NOT look frumpy), these adorable little red sandals with white polka dots, a blue headscarf to keep in my hair, and my most outrageous red, rhinestoned, cateye sunglasses. And I went to the dentist. HA.

Enjoy life, dahlings. I'll be up north for a few days, so have fun wherever you are! *Muah*

~Josie

Stringwood

Wow, that might possibly be my most boring blog post title yet. Then again, for those of you who haven't heard my numerous stories revolving around my awesome, challenging, somewhat dorky, and altogether SWEET string quartet camp............well, "Stringwood" is a pretty interesting word for a post title.

Lately, I figured I should write a bit about this camp, since I think about it at least weekly, if not more. Something about the two summers I've gone has really stuck with me, which, considering I never dreamed I'd ever be going to some random two-week summer camp where I play my viola five hours a day, makes me stop and blink for a nice second. I started viola when I was in fifth grade, and originally wanted to play the violin...........HAAAAAAAAHA. I wouldn't trade playing viola for any other instrument........except maybe cello. Here, I'll let y'all in on a funny orch dork thing: every string-player wants to be a cellist. I swear to the heavenly Parents. Just recently I've fallen in love with the sound of the cello. I think it started this past summer, in early June, when I went to Stringwood for the second year in a row. The cellist in my quartet--an all girls quartet, mind you, which got to be veeeeeeerrrrrrrrrry interesting--was super super super amazing, and occasionally we practiced in the same room. Well, she would play the Bach cello suite--you probably know it, it's incredibly famous, not to mention GORGEOUS--and one other piece, and I would literally just stop practice myself to listen to her play. It was the most beautiful thing I've heard in my life, no kidding. It's like..................ah, I don't know, I can't describe it, really....only string-players can fully understand what I'm talking about. But that's okay. Everyone else can just imagine it all. :-)

But anyway.

Stringwood is, in a nutshell, a two-week string quartet camp in the southern part of the state where the only thing on your car's GPS is white space. More specifically, it's where you eat, play your instrument, have free time, practice by yourself, eat, have majorly fun group activites such as rock climbing or looking for wildlife, play some more, eat, maybe play a little more, and then have either free time for two hours till bed OR do the night activities, which are my favorites, like the night hike or the bonfire or just lying on the ground and watching the stars form the constellations. And all that's NOT counting the "field trips" you get when you perform in the towns or get to go to a LIVE RADIO SHOW (thank you, Stringwood '08!) and all that amazing jazz. Or classical. Whatever. (Pardon my lame string jokes--they're just too much fun to pass up.) So there's your introduction to the place I called home for two weeks out of my past two summers; I'll have more on it later. Man, do I have some great memories from SW!!!

By the way, the attached pic is from my first year.........and even stalkers wouldn't be able to depixelify (?) (me likey said word) it enough to see who's who, so yes. :-)

~Josie

Heh heh heh....

So not to be stalling working on my Science notes sheet for my final in 50-odd minutes, but you know what bugs me??? When people put up wrapping paper on other people's lockers for their birthdays and write things like, "Love u 4ever! Happy b-day!" It just looks DUMB. I mean, I can understand writing nice little messages there, but things that no one will care about in a week aren't worth using up Sharpie for. Yearbook messages are another story for me--I start planning what to write seven months in advance, so if you do the same thing you're only as geeky as me...

Wow. That was a relatively short rant on my part. Probably because I'm itching to get back to my Science notes sheet.....Yes, that was said with a certain amount of sarcasm, but in all honesty, this is the one final I'm kind of excited about for several reasons:
1) Our AWESOME teacher uses everyone's name in the exam, and he always makes the problems with people funny.
2) Every letter F is a joke. Which....erm, doesn't really help much, but it'll still be entertaining.
3) The whole thing is multiple choice. It always seems to me that if there are lots of different parts, especially on something like a French test, my brain has to work overtime to switch between all the questions and what I need to do to answer.
So yes. AND I'm über-proud of my notes sheet we can tape to the back of our periodic table, so.....YES. NO. MAYBE.

~Josie

Semper ubi sub ubi

So as I was decompressing from finals studying just now--oooooh, while I'm on that subject, time for a tangent: does anyone ever have it happen where you're going along with something big like these finals, typically for school, and you feel all depressed and oddly off, but TOUT A COUP ("all of a sudden," for those of you deprived Spanish, traditional Han Chinese, or Portuguese-speakers) this weird little fog-like feeling comes over you and you take a step back and realize you need to CALM DOWN and know that it's all good?!?! Well, that just happened to me with finals, thank the heavenly Parents (no offense meant), so I was blogsurfing. And now I'm back to my original point. Yayness times ten. So as I was blogsurfing just now, I happened across this very entertaining blog to which I give credit for the upcoming random fact. (By the way, I came across this baby trying to find LMH's blog just going by the URL in my mind, so it wasn't exactly random......hope that makes you smile, girl.) http://teenageinsomniac.blogspot.com/

Ready?

"Placenta" means "cake" in Latin.

I love obscure Latin medical terms. They make you wonder about human linguistics so darn much--I mean, really? CAKE, for crying in the night?? *Demonstrates scale in hand to weigh each side* Birth, dessert, birth, dessert.....Yikes. There's somethin' special for y'all.

~Josie

p.s. Is it just me, or does this post seem to be revolving around LMH??? I guess you've worn off on me, chickie. :-)

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAACHT#$^#%&&#%^@%$&%^&INSERT PROFANITY OF CHOICE HERE

So this week, I've got the first finals of my life.

FIIIIIIIIIINALS.

It's such a big, scary six-letter word. I dislike it immensely. But more than just the WORD, I hate the madness that has begun to precede it. (Them. Whatever the correct mot is. Even the Grammar Nazi doesn't care now.)
I. Am. Going. Totally. Insane.
And while some of you out there may be laughing reading this, know that I mean this in a whole sh*tload of seriousness, in fact, so bear with my sarcastic, P.O.ed, and somewhat freaked-out posts that may be coming this week. Ha--if I even have time to post anything other than this. In Science class.

I was at quartet this past Saturday, and the cellist in my group said she's NEVER had finals. *Jaw on the floor* She's a year ahead of me, and she's NEVER HAD FINALS. I am incredibly jealous. I miss the Middle School setup, to be perfectly honest.......In fact, I miss Middle School in general. I had an experience there that most people don't; my friend group--I hate calling it a clique, but that's what it is--only began having problems this year, not in Middle School. MS was pretty damn good, actually, because we hardly ever had any friend issues. It was awesome. *Sigh* And then we enter Upper School, and it's like we all have even more raging hormones (especially towards each other) than we did in grades 5-8, which I didn't think was possible, but......

So that's all for now. I am hating this quarter. And the funny thing is that if I were to get my wish--which I am, at the end of this week--it comes along with the freaking finals, so either way I'm royally screwed. Aaaaaaaah, LIFE.

~Josie

W00T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My two big tests are OVER for this week. True, I've still got a French quiz, an outline for my History Paper, and various other loverly homeworks and whatsits, but now my stress level has decreased significantly from what you read a few posts ago. Thank God.
Although I haven't actually finished my Science test......erk.......but I get to study more for it. You know, the funny thing about my Science class is that the teacher is GREAT--he goes through everything you're confused about, explains things wonderfully, and is hilarious on top of it all (I'll have to do a quote of the day in honor of him. Heh heh...). BUT: his tests are super-hard!!! And he's not even one of those teachers you know right away has another side to him--no, you get his first test and are like, Shit this is hard! But having him there to help makes it all better.

Now I've just got an outline for my paper on midwifery and the church's persecution of them in 1200's England (what a mouthful) to do. Yeeeeees. At least my computer background makes me happy! --->


~Josie

In a Lifetime

1. Smile

2. Learn

3. Listen

4. Have faith

5. Try

6. Laugh

7. Cry

8. Sigh

9. Pray

10. Understand

11. Feel

12. Create

13. Scream

14. Grieve

15. Kiss

16. Talk

17. Flow

18. Decide

19. Don’t regret

20. Remember

Quote of Ze Day

Mind you, this is not a new thing I'm starting--there are countless quotes around, I know, but I was inspired and decided to add a little something for your enjoyment....

So my friend S.E. is working with me on her History study guide, and she pauses thoughtfully in her writing and says,

"You know, I would abbreviate 'culture' with 'cult,' but that would just confuse me."

For anyone who is not in my History class..............the despair rains down upon thy face, I know. Thou art missing out.

~Josie

Beautiful Words, Beautiful Heart

This was written by Violet Trefusis to her best friend and lover, Vita Sackville-West. It was one of those things you just happen to stumble across, and I thought it was absolutely gorgeous. Wouldn't you love for someone to write something like this to you??? It saddens me that the days of writing like this in an everyday fashion are out the window and far from home...Ah, well. We can always revisit that era. I know I love to. :-)

~Josie

October 8, 1910

excerpt
Violet was sixteen at the time she wrote this letter...

I am in the act of asking myself if I ought to reply to your question? A question furthermore most indiscreet and which merits a sharp reprimand. Reply, don't reply, reply! Oh to the devil with discretion!

Well, you ask me pointblank why I love you....I love you, Vita, because I've fought so hard to win you.... I love you, Vita, because you never gave me back my ring. I love you because you have never yielded in anything;' I love you because you never capitulate. I love you for your wonderful intelligence, for your literary aspirations, for your unconscious (?) coquetry. I love you because you have the air of doubting nothing! I love in you what is also in me: imagination, the gift for languages, taste, intuition and a host of other things.....

I love you, Vita, because I've seen your soul.

Stripper Names Make Me HAPPY

We all have to come up with names for ourselves in Cabaret as the Kit Kat Klub Girls, and here is the list I've compiled--for myself I really like Contessa, but I just love all the other ones so much.....*giggle*

~Josie

-Agna (means "chaste, holy" in German)
-Amalia
 (means, appropriately, "work" in German)
-Aphrodite

-Ava

-Bijou
-
Brigitte
-
Conradine
 (means "bold counsel" (HA) in German)
-Diabla

-Duchess
-
Esmé

-Empress

-Ernsta (means "serious business" in German)
-Eva

-Faina (means "light" in Russian)
-
Giselle

-Godiva

-Gypsy
-
Iantha
 (means "violet flower" in Greek)
-Irina
-
Jazz
-
Jezebel
-Karla (means "man" in German (!!!))
-
Korina
 (means "maiden" (HA))
-Mitzi (means "rebellious" in German)
-Mirage
-
Moondance
-
Mystique
-
Natalya

-Olga
-Ruby

-Sapphire

-Scarlett

-Yuliana

-Yvette
-Esmeralda
-Kayla
-Yvonne
-Ursula
-Natasha
-Olga
-Minnie
-Verena (means "to respect, to fear" in German)
-Viola
-Violet
-Macy
-Mack (for MacKenzie)

From Good to Crappy to Great!

Isn't it wonderful when teachers get A) lazy, or B) considerate of sick people/stressed people, and move things like TESTS AND ESSAYS AND PAPERS to days when it works for everyone?!?!? It's just so great. This week began pretty well, but on Tuesday morning my stress level skyrocketed when my good friend S.E. reminded me that--OH--we've got a science test on Friday! And a mousetrap car contest on Monday! Then the thoughts of my World History exam flooded into my mind, followed by the memory of this big research paper we've got due TUESDAY on which we haven't had any guidance whatsoever....*sigh* Needless to say, my stress level went from here to HERE in about five seconds.
BUT...
On Wednesday, my Science teacher, who has been just under the weather lately, announced that he was moving our test from Friday to Tuesday of this upcoming week, and that we'd have a movie day on Friday, mainly because there had been so many people gone, etc. etc. So I felt a little better--I love Science this year anyway because of this teach; he is awesome in every way. But anyway, then today my History teacher moved our exam to Tuesday instead of Monday, so now my mood is wünderbar. (Mostly because I get to go take off my skirt and put on my three-inch-heel character shoes for some slutty dancing!)

~Josie

Theatre Survey--yessssssssssssss

In honor of a certain new follower of mine, and fellow theatre freak, I give you this Theatre Survey. Yes, FINALLY a fun questionnaire relating to the great wide thing we call a STAGE. w00t. So although it will take up a lot of space, I know, here goes......

Enjoy, my pretties!

~Josie

LAST SHOW ADDED TO YOUR RESUME?

Museum (look up Tina Howe), but I'm currently working on Cabaret (finally!)

LAST SHOW YOU AUDITIONED FOR?

Cabaret

LAST SONG YOU USED AT AN AUDITION?

"Tomorrow Belongs to Me" from Cabaret

FAVORITE MUSICAL(s)?

Crazy For You, Phantom of the Opera, Wicked!, Man of La Mancha, Gypsy, White Christmas, A Chorus Line, Guys and Dolls, Chicago, Sound of Music, Rent, My Fair Lady, Notre Dame de Paris, and on and on and on....

FAVORITE PLAY?

Romeo and Juliet....eh, anything Shakespeare, really. OOH, and this one called The Butterfly about the Holocaust...very good.

FAVORITE ROLE(S) YOU'VE PLAYED, AND FROM WHAT SHOW(S)?

Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Follies Girl in Crazy For You, Kit Kat Girl in Cabaret, Shoesaleslady in Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, drug addict rockstar babe in our "teen issues" play Addict.....heh heh......jk

FAVORITE ROLE OVERALL THAT I WOULD LOVE TO PLAY?

Elphaba from Wicked!, Juliet, Dulcinea in Man of La Mancha, Roxie in Chicago, Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Esmeralda in Notre Dame de Paris (yes, the French version)

SUPERSTITION?

Having good rehearsals during Hell Week, definitely. Baaaaaaaaaaaad sign right there.

YOUR GOAL IN SHOW BUSINESS?

Do it for as long as I can and be good at it!!!!

FAVORITE DIRECTOR YOU HAVE EVER WORKED WITH?

Mrs. B., of course. And Ms. Mac. Yes.

WHAT WAS YOUR VERY FIRST SHOW?

Not counting little class plays at my school, I was the Shoesaleslady in Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day in sixth grade. :-)

HAVE YOU EVER HAD A DANCE SOLO?

Well, not really.......eh, no. Danced with small groups.

HAVE YOU EVER HAD A SINGING SOLO?

Yes! In Alexander...(NOT writing out that name again)

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN THE LAST PERSON TO TAKE A BOW?

No, but I was third-to-last in Museum (w00t)

HAVE YOU BEEN TO NEW YORK?

*tear drips down nose* Never.

HAVE YOU BEEN TO LA?

Nope

WHAT'S THE SCARIEST PART OF AN AUDITION?

Wondering if your voice will crack because you're a teenager, hearing someone really good go right before you.

WHAT'S THE BEST PART OF AN AUDITION?

If you do well!!!! And if you know the director(s), that's always made me feel better.

NAME A SHOW YOU WOULD NEVER DO AGAIN.

Dandelion. Oh hell no.

NAME A SHOW YOU COULD DO FOR YEARS.

Crazy For You, (probably) Cabaret, Alice in Wonderland

WHAT ARE YOU AUDITIONING FOR NEXT?

Whatever show comes my way! I don't know any yet...

DO YOU KEEP IN TOUCH WITH PAST CAST MEMBERS?

Why wouldn't I?!?!?

HOW IMPORTANT IS GETTING PAID?

Well, right now not terribly, because I've never gotten paid for a show before and I still love doing it. But, I imagine that if I make a career out of this then it would become increasingly more vital...

*(thanks for that one, Moi!)

SOMETHING EMBARRASSING OR UNEXPECTED THAT HAPPENED TO YOU WHILE ON-STAGE?

Well, this was for ballet (slightly off-topic, I know): my chef's hat fell off as we were bowing, and I was at the end of the line (seeing how short I was and am), so I just picked it up and carried it off on my hand like it was on a tray. :-) And various bows and such falling off my tap shoes is CFY...

WHO IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PERSON (ON STAGE OR OFF) THAT YOU HAVE EVER WORKED WITH?

MPA-goers, you know her. Thank God she's not in Cabaret, I am sorry, but......

EVER BEEN NAKED ONSTAGE?

No, but I will nearly be for this one!!! Hot stuff, baby!

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN KILLED ONSTAGE?

ALMOST--when I was that drug addict Kendra, I set myself on fire smoking a bong pipe or something, and I totally mamed myself. I had to wear this cut-up bald cap over my face to make me look deformed. Maybe sometime I'll attach that picture...heh heh. Give y'all nightmares forever.

BEEN DRUNK ONSTAGE?

Oh heck yes. Crazy For You tavern scene--AND in Sweeney Todd, during God That's Good.

PLAYED SOMEONE HALF YOUR AGE?

Hmmmmmmmmmm.......dunno the ages of some of my characters....

PLAYED SOMEONE TWICE YOUR AGE?

Loads of times. Mostly being a floozy, druggie, or ditzy dancer of some sort....

CRIED?

Nope. I wish.

FIRED A GUN?

Been right next to one being fired, twice. That's it.

BEEN DRENCHED?

HUH?!?!?!?

BEEN IN A DREAM SEQUENCE?

Erm, nooooooo...........unless you count Museum, which was pretty much the entirety of the play....or A Midsummer Night's Dream.

BEEN KISSED?

Not YET.....*blushes* Maybe sometime in the near future. Hopefully not before my true first kiss, however.

Fishnets and Garters and Dancing my Thighs Off

Yes, I know, I already mentioned fishnets and garters, but that's only because my brain is hooked on them (HA definitely no pun intended)--we haven't seen our costume plans for the Cabaret Girls yet, and I am simply itching to get at them.
But meanwhile, we learned a small part of the dance for Wilkommen today. !!! By "small" I mean we haven't even gotten to the part where the girls sing yet--yea, it's a tiny bit. But even now my thighs are KILLING ME. I haven't danced like this since the show two years ago, Crazy For You, and that didn't consist of über-sexual rubbings and brushes and and *blech*!! But anyway, this dance. Is. So. Hard. I mean, I'm a dancer myself, but this totally shows what happens when all you do is ballroom once a week for a year without ever stretching, writhing around on the floor like an animal, etc. etc. We begin with right after our little fanfare-type thing, and are in the groove right away. We kick, we lunge, we spin, we dig into our hips, we grope people in places just borderline for a high school.....
So I'm excited as hell.....but really nervous.
Of course the funner fun (yes, I know it's not a word) starts when we get costumes--can you tell I've got a bit of a showgirl-costume hang-up for this play???--and when we sing with the live pit. This seriously is my dream show, or at least one of them; hey, Kit Kat Klub Girl, Telephone Girl, and Lady #1 in Two Ladies isn't bad for my freshman year!!

~Josie

p.s. What do you think of the bigger font? It was pissing me off that it was so tiny, but I'm wondering if this is too big to look nice....

Happy Valentine's Day 2009

Some people choose to be cynical; some people choose to be sappy. I lean a little towards the sappy side, but I just want to send my happiest vibes out there to all my friends and people I adore. You all mean waaaaaaaaaay too much to me. :-) Love ya.

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*      *      *

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    *     *

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xoxo,

Josie

Heeeere we go!!!

"Wilkommen, bienvenue, welcome! Fremde, étranger, stranger...Glucklich zu sehen, je suis enchanté, happy to see you--bliebe, reste, STAY!"

"The fuuun has arriiiiiiiiiiiived."

"Free at last! Thank God almighty, I'm free at last!"

Cabaret has finally started, and I can't contain myself. Literally. It's all fishnets and garters from here, baby. :-)
~Josie

#7

GTABW List #7: We can see something truly magnificently beautiful, cry over it, and understand why we're crying. AND we don't have to feel like we're total saps.

Can't catch my breath

Have you ever witnessed something so breathtakingly beautiful that you can't quite accept what you just saw? That you think it can't be real because it was too....astounding, too perfect??

My mom told me it was a full moon tonight, and I love to go outside and look at the moon when it's blindingly bright and round, so tonight my parents and I stepped outside into the rather balmy (for MN) night air, and watched the clouds roll over that huge moon. After a while they left, but I stayed out to gaze at it; this thing was so flawless and white I couldn't help but be completely mesmerized. The clouds were rushing across that moon like flocks of birds, blotting it out and then breaking to show off the perfect brightness....

And then the stars! I took a trip to the Boundary Waters a few summers ago and had my first night paddle. It was amazing--we laid back in our canoes and just watched the sky change, observing all the stars and constellations (as well as seven shooting stars). I have never seen as many little twinkling dots in a navy sky as I did in that one night; tonight wasn't even close, but this is the most stars I've ever seen this close to a city. I think I saw Mars, glinting red way off in the distance, and a few other stars that literally twinkled--you haven't seen the night sky until you've stared into the blue-blackness and seen little pinpricks of light flickering on and off, like lightening bugs up in heaven. Train whistles echoed through the darkness, and with the wind rustling the bare branches of trees just enough to be calming and not creepy, I couldn't stop my eyes from sucking up every detail of the night. It was one of the most gorgeous things I have ever seen in my life. I can see why some people are drawn to the night; I know I am.

~Josie

Cast Party

So I went to my first cast party two weekends ago (the 31st to Feb. 1st, in case, like me, you are date-challenged). I've been in Upper School shows since seventh grade, but it was never really appropriate for me to go, especially as a seventh-grader in contrast to a bunch of seniors....yea. So this was my first one, and it was AMAZING!!!
Understand that I mean that in not a completely positive nor completely negative way. There were both good and bad aspects to this shindig, but the bad pieces were really trivial. It was definitely worth it.
Bad parts: Me getting pissed off at a sophomore kid who....well, he's quite immature, and doesn't know WHEN to STOP--he makes a huge deal out of things, and then will blame other people for making a mountain out a frickin' molehill. And he was just being especially obnoxious during Blazing Saddles, which made ME upset because A) he would not shut his megaphonic trap as I so kindly asked him to; B) he was directly aiming at me at one point, and C) I LOVE the movie Blazing Saddles, dammit!!! (I left because he brought it to a point where I truly believe from the bottom of my cold-towards-obnoxiousness heart that I would have slapped him had I not left.)
Good parts: Watching Blazing Saddles in the basement of C.'s house; having a venting session with two awesome people, a junior and senior, after the infuriating incident with that sophomore kid; being comfortable in my pajamas and slipper socks for the entire night; eating junk food whenever I wanted; playing Taboo, underclassmen against upperclassmen (we beat the seniors' and juniors' asses!!), and Imaginiff (if you have never played that game, you are seriously missing out on LIFE). And yes. It was just a great time.

So I'm done now. MUCH MUCH more to come today to update y'all on my life (yes, it still is in existence....). There is so much to tell, dahlings!!
~Josie

#6

GTABW List #6: We can hug our friends without wondering if either of us is gay.

Time for a new post

As the title of this suggests, it is most definitely time for a new post on my part. You know, I got this thing to actually WRITE in it at least once a week or so, but I have been so bad with it......*sigh* I just don't know what to do with myself. Argh.

So basically, I shall be updating MORE and adding to my GTABW List (yesssssssss), and just telling you about my life more. Yes. :-)

~Josie

#5

GTABW List #5: "Beauty sleep" actually applies to us.

Comparison? Is it there?

Eh? Eh??? Me and Dita, Dita and me--am I going somewhere with this? :-)

Greeeeeeen with Envy

Dita von Teese is, without a doubt, the most gorgeous woman alive on this planet. I am envious of her in every possibly conceivable aspect. Just look.

I mean, really. Who WOULDN'T be google-eyed at her? Even gay guys?? What should I do to look like her?!?!? You think I'd look good in a corset and garter belt (see previous post...)? If you know me, you'll understand that I'm mostly infatuated with her amazingly perfect sense of retro and vintage style. If anybody's on the right track to bringing back the best fashions of the past, it's her.

Femme fatale, non?

*Sigh,*

Josie

#4

GTABW List #4: We get to wear corsets and garter belts just for looks, minus the practical and potentially damaging reasons of the past (i.e. passing out due to air restriction from corset laces).

#3

GTABW List #3: We can cure our friends of their killer back problems and not worry that we might be sitting in a somewhat sexual position. LIKE HELL WE'RE RIDING HER!

I'm a little French slacker copycat (what a freaking mouthful)!!

In a gesture towards a certain French imposter friend of mine in the blogosphere (but aren't we all?), I have one thing to say:

I GOT A CRAPLOAD OF HOMEWORK TODAY.

Write and read and daydream your precious time away because I'm right there with ya,

Josie

New blog. W00t.

Okay. Screw it. Angélique's and Prince Alix's opinions are all I need. Thanks, guys. Check later--I'll hopefully have a new blog up!!!!

Happy productive blog-making,
Josie

Shmeh

Oh hell, I need input from people. I won't decide until those of you who I believe are making blogs have for sure made them and seen mine and given me input on this, so we all must have patience, young grasshoppas. *Meditation hands* "Ommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..."

Yar, here be the question: Should I make an entirely new blog for LISTS?!?!?! I'm slightly obsessed with them now, and I feel like pasting them all over this one would screw it up majorly. So should I just make a nice, clean, NEW blog for awesomely awesome lists and such???

Here's to you and your opinions (which I can handle even if they're gaggingly conservative),

Josie

#2

GTABW List #2: We got off the Titanic first.

#1 (Doesn't mean the best, just the first one)

Greatest Things About Being a Woman (in future, abbreviated as GTABW) List

#1: Haircuts and new styles can leave us feeling refreshed and just plain awesome.

Greatest feeling

I should begin a list of the ___# Greatest Things About Being a Woman. I'm sure my guy readers would LOVE to hear those. :-)

I brought this up because I got my hair cut today, and it's TOTALLY new and fresh and awesome. I can't go into detail for fear of giving away the lovely surprise come Monday for some of you, but it's exhilarating. At least for girls, I feel like getting a haircut or new style or WHATEVER is one of the best feelings ever. It cannot be explained, I swear.

Stylin',

Josie

Those classical guys were NOT respectful

In quartet music, why is it that the viola hardly ever gets cool solo parts?!?!? I mean, sure, I'm completely biased, I'm not gonna lie, but why are the violins and cello cooler than the instrument which is a combination of BOTH OF THEM??? (For those of you who aren't exactly sure what I meant by that statement, the viola is played like a violin, is almost the same size, and uses the same octave, but has the same strings as a cello. It's pretty hardcore.) Mostly the only pieces that contain kick-ass viola sections to play are contemporary ones, such as music by Shostakovich and John Mackey (Strange Humors is viola-central) and the like. THEY saw the beauty of the Outkast Instramint, THEY realized it had been in the shadows of the cozy closet for far too long and needed some light (unlike Daniel Craig :-) ). So I ask you, what was the deal with these classical guys and the viola? What was WRONG with it? I can think of waaaaaaay too many cool things about playing it, that's for sure:

-Nobody knows what it is. Well, sort of.

-It's got the same loverly strings as a cello but is far easier to carry around

-It's big and tough-looking next to a violin, but still appears sweet next to a cello

-It's got a C string (yesssss resonance is a good thing)

-People always need violists, it's just a fact of string life, so it's hard to be out of work with a viola

-It has its own clef that everyone but violists hate, so it's all ours

-It's just plain cool

So why was it the instrument to be sheltered, cast away, forever reduced to scratching out dull harmonies and accompaniments?

*Sigh*

Okay, I'm exaggerating (why does that tend to happen when I discuss my instrument?!?!). This past summer at string quartet camp (I know, right? HA) I played Mendelssohn 12, and it was like an equal, beautiful tapestry of sound and color, with all the instruments at some point becoming more prominently colored in the weaving. Last winter I played an AMAZING Shostakovich piece (quartet 11) that felt like, instead of a tapestry, a bunch of threads bunched together; it was so bare, I'd say, so individual and together at the same time (I adore that piece--check it out). But really, we just got a new piece in quartet today, and it's Beethoven, which I like a lot, but our coach chose it because the CELLO gets a cool part, because the VIOLINS got the last cool part in our other piece. So when this year is over, it's my turn. I shall rebel and demand we get a piece I can boast about.

HA--watch, it'll be too hard for me to play. :-)

I am done now. Violas are respected just fine, I know. Really, I know. I'm not pissed. It's okay. Classical music kicks ass, period.

Intense viola activist-ing,

Josie

Short Story--8th Grade English Project, in fact

"I hated it when it was drafty. The windows were always open, and I liked it that way, but at night the wind whistling through the eyelet lace curtains and billowing about in the bedrooms could be awfully creepy. I huddled deeper into my burrow of flannel sheet and down blanket, and tried to drift off. Come on, Laura, I said to myself forcefully. Shut your eyes and let everything go, it’s time for sleep now. But nothing I told myself helped, neither the gentlest suggestion nor the harshest warning. My churning mind turned red-hot with an anger I could not suppress. This had happened before, I thought as I squeezed my eyes together, and I couldn’t help it last time either...but I couldn’t think about them, I just couldn’t. I rolled over to face the lone window of my bedroom and, consequently, the chilly wind. The cold distracted me slightly. But at last, after several more agonizing minutes internally arguing with the breeze and myself, I threw off the sheet and blanket, wrapped the silky nightgown tighter around myself, and tiptoed over to the window and slammed it shut."

I'm takin' advice, folks

Angélique suggested--ever so coyly--that I add excerpts from my various novels for all y'all to read. Well, as I pondered this, I realized it would be a good little motivator for keeping my writing flowing and going, seeing as this year has been crazier than hell and I've hardly bee able to work AT ALL on my books, so here's the deal:

I shall try to post a tiny bit from one of my books every other day or so (or if not that often, then maybe weekly) on this blog. And will provide info on occasion, such as setting or time if need be. Yes. Would people be interested? Well, screw if you're interested because I'm doing in anyway. Yay, Angélique! Oh, and if there's not anything from my books it will most likely be poetry. Or a rant, because I seem to have developed a sudden and inexplicable talent for rant-writing this year, and it flourishes some times more than others. Now would be one of them.

Happy reading and SEE VALKYRIE,

Josie

Don't you just love a good musical??

After school today Pretzel and I (as well as her parents and--lo and behold!--my parents) went to see Valkyrie. Two words: SO GOOD. My family has found that usually if the reviews say it's bad, the flick is pretty good to fantastic. And this is an example. I am a sucker for historical anything in a movie, and this baby was definitely something fascinating: World War 2 plan to take down Hitler  right before the end of the war. Of course, everyone ends up dying (and that doesn't exactly spoil anything for those clueless readers out there--obviously the plan failed because Hitler was suicidal), which makes for a very tragic ending, but I like movies where I cry--OH WAIT that's all of them--and action. Well-balanced action, that is. 

And this calls for...

OOOOH, rant time: Quantum of Solace was a disgrace to the James Bond world. Hide, Daniel Craig, hide far away, back in your dark closet with your soft towels and binkies and never come out again (thks to W.B.E. for the quote!). Don't get me wrong, I like Daniel Craig, and Casino Royale was really quite good--okay, awesome--but THIS? Really?! Really, James Bond?!?! What happened to the gadgets, the talking, the interesting freaking plots (isn't that a crucial part of having an entertaining storyline or did I get lost at dialog??), the gorgeous cars that do in fact last slightly more than  a half a scene before being annihilated by crashes, explosions and the like?!? HONESTLY. Our semi-formal dance was themed James Bond, and I just kept thinking about how the old ones are the ONLY ones to look to if you're going for classic. Classic anything. What happened to the good old days, where the women wore high-waisted bottoms and bullet bras and the guys donned suits in actions flicks and PANTS ABOVE THEIR ASSES?

But anyway.........ha-ha............Valkyrie was quite enjoyable. I'd see it again. The action was good, the acting was pretty good, and it was a true story. Me likey. Oh, and if you're reading this, C.B. (that is to say, if you've gotten this far), you were so right: the flood of tears started when that guy stood in front of Tom Cruise at the end before he got shot...oh lord. What a way to make the ladies lose it. For me, anyway. I'm the ultimate movie crier--seriously, I cried not only at, but BEFORE the end of White Christmas this year. Sadness.

Gotta go to beddy-bye now--OH HEY, I'M HALFWAY DONE WITH NINTH GRADE!!!!! I'M A FULL-FLEDGED FRESHMAN, Y'ALL!!!!!!!!! W00TANG! Can you believe it's already to this point?!? Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana (thks to Schwiegs for that one).

Adieu,

Josie

Winter Show Info. Ha, that rhymes.

I juuuuust finished my math quiz, and it was totally not what I expected. :-) Much easier. *Yesssss* So now I only have gym left for actual core classes today, and that barely counts....and my mom is coming in to talk about her art in Winter Show, and I get to leave gym early to help her bring in some paintings...and then I'm done with half of my ninth grade year!! My life is complete.

The cast and crew have to fill out these forms for Winter Show with questions about us on them, such as our goals, favorite foods, best part of the play, all that jazz. I just finished mine, and you know, it's times like these I feel incredibly sorry for my teachers. In eighth grade history, we'd be assigned a short paragraph on some reading, and my friend SK and I would end up turning in novels. It was sad; our teacher never said a word, but we'd just look at each other and smile guiltfully. Ah, well. Some things never change, eh???
So here are my answers on the form. Oh, I didn't mention the purpose of these thingies: they'll go in the play program, like our miniature biographies. Not every answer, God no, but enough to be funny (potentially) and interesting. Ta-da:

What do you find special/difficult/compelling (you supply the adjective!) about this play? Museum is so deep in a...well, kind of shallow way that we were unsure how to approach it at first.
Other theatre, performance, and/or school activity/experience: (I won't go into detail for this one--let's just say I've been in too many shows for my good!)
Favorite school subject and why: English--I love everything about it, especially creative writing and reading Shakespeare!
Favorite food(s): Indian, authentic Chinese, almost any kind of bread, ICE CREAM, potatoes!
Favorite things to do in spare time: What spare time? :-) Write, expand my vocabulary (sound familiar?), drive myself crazy with endless thought-circles, daydream, ponder life's greatest mysteries, plan my next escapade.
What are your future plans and goals? Publish a book by age 25 (possibly poetry as well), enjoy high school, learn how to sew some of my own clothes, keep strong friendships, continue with theatre, learn more about myself...
What is best about Winter Show? How everyone can be having a terrible day, and we walk into W.S. and it's all good. Always.
What would people be surprised to know about you? I'm very mellow at home, and am incredibly good at mental math. I am also deathly terrified of improv (theatre improv, that is), but have no problems with humorous scripts.

Yes. Heehee. There were more questions I just didn't feel like putting down, so if you come to the show, you might read more about me!! W00t, ladles and germs.

Wishing y'all a boredom-free weekend comme moi (hey, didja know that "boredom" wasn't even a word until the late 1880's?!?! Rather sad, if you ask me),
Josie

School GAAAAAH and....Well, a Hint of Rest

God, I have no life. I've been working my ass off on this thing for almost an hour and a half, and I still have to study for my math quiz (which is turning out to be a bigger deal than I anticipated, but whatever...). I mean, the changes I made are insane--this blog-baby looks pretty authentic now! Holycowbygolly.

End of ze quarter. Means no homework this weekend, that's for sure, but it also presents the more than a little frightening idea of going back to my hardest core classes mashed into ten-odd weeks, not to mention finals--oh God FINALS--I'm practically having a mental breakdown here at the mere wisp of a thought of taking an advanced French final. *Calls for the smelling salts* You know, Nyquil is good for more than just a stuffy nose...

Memories....damn MN winters.....

Here's just a little something I thought I'd begin my "Poetry" tagline with. I wrote it.....eh, maybe six-odd months ago, but it reminds me of summer and evening, which is one of my favorite combinations. :-)

Days

Some are dark and dreary

Others filled with light and joy

Days

Drifting slowly away

Happening

Sunrise

Like vibrant paint splotched onto

A new white canvas

Waking up

At six o’clock

And realizing there is a whole one ahead of you

A whole

Day

To do things

Get things done

Suddenly you’re raring to go and ready to work

Let’s start!

Clouds swirling

Over a

Sky

The color of the

Caribbean blue ocean

Halfway over

And you’ve accomplished absolutely positively

Nothing

It’s too beautiful a day

To spend working

The breeze is far too nice to stay out of

You can’t just stay inside all day

at last

Evening comes

As quiet and serene as a pool of water

Relaxing on the porch

Is mandatory

The crickets lull you nearly to sleep

But you’re thinking about it

The day

You know you did nothing but

Still

It seems it was the perfect way to spend it

And you know it was completely worth it

Some are dark and dreary

Others filled with light and joy

Days

Drifting slowly away

Happening