Speech 101

Post #29: dedicated to: Meet the Robinsons

I am a horrible public speaker.

Actually, that's not true...if I've got something memorized, I usually do okay. Usually. As long as I'm ultra aware of how fast I'm talking and slow it down.

But public reading? Reading books out loud? Reading passages of my essays out loud? I don't understand why I just can't do it.

I stumble over easy words, slur things together, mispronounce words I know I know how to pronounce, speak way too fast for the human race to understand.... I find myself constantly stopping to catch mistakes in my reading. It might sound wonderful when I'm reading to myself in my head - but when it's out there in the open, vibrations drifting away into listeners' ears, it's just not quite the same. It's horrible.

You'd think that for such an avid reader, speaking would come naturally.

Not so.

Congratulations

Post #28: Dedicated to Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

There is one girl that never fails to make me feel inferior.

The years go by, but my bitterness won't fade away.

I should forgive her. I should let go.

But I can't.

You get to be concertmistress? Congratulations.

You're first violin in our quartet? Congratulations.

You get asked to play private gigs? Congratulations.

You're going to Stanford in the fall? Congratulations.

Congratulations, you win.

Food

Post #27

We've been over this. I really like food. I really like eating. Yes, I might be slightly picky here and there, but put a delicious plate of food in front of me and I'll most likely eat it. Most likely. (Summer vacation in Italy...antipasto is NOT my favorite. Cheese, olives, and prosciutto? No, thanks. And yes, I had to google that spelling. My first attempt had me at: broschuto. Hey, spell it like it sounds!)

So it's a shame that the dining center food so truly sucks. I would be posting pictures of delicious things I want to cook when I get home, but my stomach is already rumbling as it is. So I won't.

I am sitting here attempting to study for an upcoming psychology exam...and instead, I'm thinking of cheesesteaks. Buffalo chicken nuggets and fries. The World's Best Burger at Shake Shack, NYC. Hungry ninja. Chipotle burritos. Mmm, Chipotle. I'd even settle for a smoothie at Juice it Up. Stone Oven bread. Sushi, chicken teriyaki, steak & mashed potatoes, breakfast burritos, the best french dip sandwich I ever had at Kate Mantilini's, stir-fried udon, chicken fried rice, meat sauce spaghetti and meatballs, korean food, Chipotle, french toast, buffalo chicken dip, buffalo wings, frozen yogurt, Celeste pizza, frosted flakes, pineapples, carrot cake muffins...

I'm starving. And it's almost midnight.

Not good.

The Simple Truth

Post #26: Dedicated to: Rose Daughter by Robin McKinley

We went to Universal Studios as a special treat: me, my brother, my brother's friend Ryan, my mom, dad, aunt, and my mom's friend and her kids from Korea.

I was embarrassed. Why? It was "Buy a day, get a year free!" at the park. In order to save some money on ticket prices, my father insisted I was younger than my actual age. Me, my older brother, and my brother's friend pretended to be little kids again, just to save a few bucks. It struck a chord. I'd think, my friends' families wouldn't do this. They'd pay the real price. We're just too cheap and frugal. I was embarrassed.

Of course, it was Universal Studios. I got over it, soon. Actually, I think it was the minute we walked into the maze of The Mummy. (Yes, back in the day, The Mummy was not a ride. It was a walk-through maze. And it was the scariest thing ever.) I was scared out of my wits. Think spider webs, beetles, darkness, mummies...

What I remember next is the fondest memory of the day. My dad leading the way, my mom behind him with her hands on his shoulders, then me with my hands on her shoulders (eyes closed, of course), my brother, my brother's friend, my mom's friend, her kids, my aunt....We were just one extremely long string of people too scared to walk through alone. I never opened my eyes once, trusting my dad to lead the way. I laughed, though, many times. It was just plain funny. Quite a sight to see.

I love my family. And I don't say it enough. It's the simple truth.

Up, Up, & Away

Post #25: Dedicated to Up Up & Away, Kid Cudi

"Now when the sun come up

I'll be there to say what up

in the morning

brush my teeth

find that clip I've been looking for since last night

I feel so caught up

in a bud

I float somehow in my bedroom

turn around see myself in a mirror

I guess I'm cool

and those happy thoughts

in my head

I'm feeling like I'm peter pan,

minus the tights and the faeries

happy to see how far I've come

to the same place

it began

my dreams and imaginations

perfectly at peace

so I move along a bit higher.

I'll be up up and away

Up up and away

Cause they gon' judge me anyway

So whatever.

I'll be up up and away

Up up and away,

Cause in the end they'll judge me anyway

so whatever."

2 more weeks. I'm not ready to leave yet.

Disney Pop Stars

Post #24

Disney Pop Stars just sing terribly catchy tunes with clichéd, cheesy lyrics that speak the simple truth.

Demi Lovato, Catch Me:

"But you're so hypnotizing...

You've got me laughing when I sing,

You've got me smiling in my sleep."

Nick Jonas & The Administration, Who I Am:

"I want someone to love me,

for who I am.

I want someone to need me,

is that so bad?"

You'd never grow old listening to this stuff.

I want to grab my guitar and strum along. Grab my guitar and sing along.

90's Boy Bands

Post #23: Dedicated to: the Backstreet Boys

Why yes, the Backstreet Boys are BACK. This summer, with a US tour. And yes, June 26th, 2010, S- and I will be attending their concert at the Gibson Amphitheater. Wonderful. (Let's be honest here. The Backstreet Boys were 100x better than N'Sync. And, uh, still are.) ;)

It's time to brush up on old songs...quit playing games with my heart, the call, as long as you love me, show me the meaning of being lonely, drowning, the shape of my heart...

Getting ready for the last summer of a lifetime.

Maybe

Post #22: Dedicated to: Maybe I'm Amazed; Jem

Maybe I'm amazed at the way you love me all the time,

Maybe I'm afraid of the way I love you.

Maybe I'm amazed at the way you pulled me out of time,

and hung me on a line,

Maybe I'm amazed at the way I really need you.

Maybe I'm a girl, and maybe I'm a lonely girl,

who's in the middle of something...

That she doesn't really understand.

Maybe I'm a girl, and maybe you're the only man,

that could ever help me.

Baby, won't you help me understand.

Haverford College

Post #21: Dedicated to Moulin Rouge

I like my school.

And the way it looks through the lens of a 35mm camera.

Failure

Post #20

I'm sick of trying and trying and trying, only to fail and fall flat on my face.

I know.

Shoot for the moon - even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.

Never say never.

There are thousands and thousands of inspirational quotes on how if you haven't failed, you haven't learned, you haven't succeeded...

It still hurts.

Application after application after application.

We regret to inform you...

We had a very strong pool of applicants...

We cannot offer you an interview at this time...

Thank you for your interest...

They shoot. They score: the arrow straight into my self-confidence.

I want to give up. I want to wallow in my own self-pity for the rest of eternity, with a gallon of haagen dazs strawberry ice cream and an unlimited supply of the world's best chick flicks.

Happy Easter

Post #19, dedicated to Christ is Risen, Matt Maher

O, Death, where is your sting?

O, Hell, where is your victory?

O, Church, come stand in the light,

Our God is not dead,

He's alive, He's alive!

Christ is risen from the dead,

Trampling over death by death,

Come awake, come awake,

Come and rise up from the grave.

Christ is risen from the dead,

We are one with him again,

Come awake, come awake,

Come and rise up from the grave.

Eye Candy

Post #18: dedicated to Barney Stinson

There's something about a guy in a suit.

Something that makes him a real man.

A shirt, a tie, a jacket.

Recipe for success.

You nailed it, Barney.

Stress

Post #17: Dedicated to: That Should Be Me, Justin Bieber

Stress I haven't felt all semester is creeping up on me now. I can't figure out my schedule for the fall. Like, literally, no classes I am interested in are available at the times I can take it. I just may end up having only 3 academic classes, but that would just be a shame. And a waste of my hard-earned AP credits.

A cappella is driving me crazy. Craaaaaaaaazy. It's crunch time - only 1 and a half more weeks until our semester show. So much to do, so, so, so little time. And I know I arranged Wait it Out, but I feel we should wait to debut it, because it's clearly not going to sound good. And besides, we could focus our time on songs that actually need improvement.

I just feel incredibly overwhelmed with work and papers and writing children's stories and revising children's stories and readings and scheduling and singing and holy week masses and shooting movies...I look at my ridiculous to-do lists and feel like I'm spinning round and round in circles. I wish things would just slow down. Or stop.

I wish life could be like that chocolate frosted cupcake. With a strawberry-shaped heart on top.

Just like that.