amylicious!

Maybe I'm a little too obsessive.

November 2007 - Posts

  • Warning: DON'T READ THIS. I am kind of an obsessive freak who deserves to be locked up for life.

    It's a good thing my computer randomly decided to shut down a few minutes ago, because the first version of this post had me pinned as a spoiled little brat who always cries when she can't get what she wants.

    Now, I promise you, I don't tend to hold onto things this much. Sure, I get sentimental and ooey-gooey and such when it comes to many things, but never... this. And I realize my evil and bratty ways as I type this up, but for some reason, these ways just will not end. They will not end!! And I promise, I'm not only driving everybody around me nuts. I'm driving myself crazy, as well. The last thing I need to be doing is obsessing this badly, after all. I need to get back to the life I used to have!

    Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about by now. Hellooo, Spring Awakening. (I went three entries — not quite five, but close enough. Trust me, a lot has come up about it!)

    The strike recently ended, the shows are starting up again, and so of course I'm still off-handedly bugging my parents about letting me go to NYC to see it next month. I'm starting to let it get to me that of course they'll keep saying no, we really don't have that kind of money, but I figure, what can it hurt? Right? (Although I did severely piss off my mom the other day during lunch. Oops.)

    Well, Telecharge sent me a lovely little e-mail this evening saying that because my show was cancelled due to the strike, I can now get Spring Awakening tickets for only $55 through March 2nd! Considering tickets are usually $111.50, THIS IS AN AMAZING DEAL. Oh man. Oh man oh man oh man.

    Of course, my parents still say no. I mean, the tickets are the least expensive, but there's still a matter of plane tickets, hotel, etc. Because of course the whole family has to come. (Why can't it just be me and one other person! I mean, that's not bad! Saskia and I did very well on our own!)

    I won't go saying that my life sucks. It doesn't! I'm a very fortunate person, really, and I've had so many amazing opportunities to see amazing shows, go to amazing places, meet amazing people, get published in this amazing book. For some reason, in this instance, I just don't have how to shut the hell up. (Hey, I think I meet with my therapist next week. I can rant to her about this, I guess? But she'll most likely tell me what I don't want to hear: "You're not going to see it, so deal!" But I haaaave to see it!) (See? This is what goes on in my head for most of the day. WHAT. IS. WRONG. WITH. ME.)

    I still hold strong that once I see it, I will shut up about it. Sure, I might still bring it up every once in a while. But I won't be so crazyinsanepsycho over not getting to see it. Because I will have seen it! Hmph.

    Somebody please help me. Holy crap.



    The necklace from the NYC party is still missing. Most likely forever. This depresses me muchly. Le sigh.



    Today we had to turn in final drafts of our college essays. My teacher had actually given me a 100% on my last draft, so he gave it back to me today so that I could, er, turn it back in. With all the others, I mean. But when I flipped to see the grade, I noticed that he had written, "one of the best ever," beside the grade. My heart literally leapt at this.

    I've had this inkling this year that my writing has actually improved a lot. In past years, when it came to writing for class, it never came quite as easily, I never found much enjoyment in many of the assignments, and overall I never felt very satisfied with my work. But this year, I've loved what I've written for most of my assignments for classes. And to have my teacher tell me that he loved my essay is astounding to me!

    The best thing about this is that, well, every writer, when growing up, wants to know that they're actually improving, that they aren't at a stand-still. And being able to feel this writer bubbling down inside me — it feels good. (And not "food," which is what I first typed. Wow, Amy. Wow.)

    Maybe I should e-mail my essay to my sophomore english teacher. He's the english teacher I had after I saw my first Harry and the Potters show. And I introduced him to wizard rock. And he's basically one of the best teachers I've ever had. If not the best. Man oh man. I wish he was still at my school. He left this past year, and we all miss him terribly. Too cool for our school, apparently. Sheesh!) (Speaking of, I need to e-mail him about those recs I asked him to do.)



    Well. Since Ugly Betty is a rerun tonight, I can use that time wisely and study for chemistry and psychology! (...will I actually study?! We'll find out!)
  • This entry is full of random.

    Nope. Today, I will not be blogging before 10pm. More like just before midnight. Oops. That's what I get for watching three TV shows on Wednesday night.

    Ugh, finally! Filling out the order forms for cap & gown? SO CONFUSING. I hate it. But it is finished. Yay.

    This morning, I lost my RED necklace thingy. The one that all of the writers got at the party in NYC? This greatly depresses me. I didn't let on to any of my friends about how much it upset me, but I felt very empty knowing it was gone. How silly sounding. It fell off randomly sometime in the morning when I was wandering the halls looking for teachers to talk to about work I've missed (what an awkward sentence). Or it might have fallen off in the library, and somebody would have taken it from there, of course. Oh man. I want it baacckkkkkkk. :(

    Undergrounds is on Friday and I think I'm stoked for it. Really, I'm just looking forward to the weekend. I think that's what I live for nowadays: weekends.

    NOTE TO SELF, AMY — REMEMBER THESE THINGS:
    • two transcripts
    • concert critique for Hampshire
    • editorial for Sarah Lawrence
    • Juniata nomination scholarship thing (inform Mrs. W!)
    • Urinetown audition forms
    • soda
    • UK scholarship application
    • there was something else... hmm.
  • Oh dearie me.

    It's been about a month and a half since I went to the local GSA (as in Gay-Straight Alliance, not Girl Scouts of America, er).

    I know, I know. "But Amy! You wrote about GSA, like, five million times on your college apps!" Yeah, well. I've been busy? And tired?

    "But you were sick today and you went!" ...shut up. I FELT OBLIGATED TO, OKAY?

    The last time I went, a total of five people showed up. And today? LIKE, A MILLION. It was amazing. You kind of forget how amazing the people there are. But every time I go, I end up smiling like crazy because everyone is so friendly, so funny. Why did I stop going? I have no idea. But I need to keep going back. They keep me level and sane, surprisingly enough. Man. I love that place.

    (But maybe I'll elaborate even more next week, if I get around to blogging before 10pm. Jeez, Amy, start blogging at decent times!)



    Back to school tomorrow. Home sick yesterday and today.

    You know what I realized, though? Ever since going to NYC, I've kind of, um, forgotten everything I've learned this past semester. And though this should be freaking me out, it's not. I dunno, running off for a few days kind of made my head spin so much that now I think I've realized that I am kind of tired of studying what I'm studying. Chemistry and calculus? They're doing nothing for my brain. They aren't stimulating me. Nothing is clicking. You know how sometimes you'll get that class where the material just clicks, and you get it? Nope. The clicking is gone this year. It's sad.

    I just really want to get away and learn in more exciting ways. Learn through experience, not reading textbooks. I mean, I've kind of always known that hands-on learning works best for me, but now... ack. Now it's becoming the only kind I want to put up with. Which is not good, considering college professors do indeed assign reading.

    Lordy. I can't wait for winter break. I need a longer escape. And though two weeks won't nearly be enough, it'll work.



    P.S. Everybody needs to check out Musicovery. It's like Pandora, except instead of choosing music based on similar artists, you can choose it based on if you want the music to be calm, energetic, fast, slow, etc. I like it. Every time I need some good jazz, it's what I've been running to. And I've been craving jazz like crazy lately.
    Posted Nov 27 2007, 11:27 PM by amyh with no comments
    Filed under: , ,
  • Pineapple.

    Anybody else watch Chuck tonight?

    That's all I have to say about this entry's subject.



    So I just officially hit submit on my Joseph-Beth job application. Part of me thinks that they won't even consider me because I'm not eighteen (lamest excuse ever). But my hopeful side (which, to be honest, never does me much good, but always makes for fantastic daydreaming) thinks that they'll want me because I'm enthusiastic about the store!, because I did quite well on their author/section of the store quiz (which really wasn't hard at all)!, and because, well, I threw in a blurb about being in RED. Haha, er. But I do know that they are hiring for the holidays — they had a big sign up in the store! — so maybe they'll be desperate enough to want me. Ehehe.

    Plus, how cool is this?:

    11/26/2007

    Dear Amy Hunt,
    Thank you for your interest in working for Joseph Beth/Davis Kidd Booksellers. We have received your online application, and as positions become available we will be using these applications to search for qualified candidates. In appreciation for your interest in Joseph Beth/Davis Kidd, present a copy of this e-mail at any of our stores and you will receive 10% off your purchase. (Good for 90 days)

    Thank You,

    Joseph Beth/Davis Kidd Booksellers

    Rock! Rock! Rock! (That would be my dorky reference to Uncle Monsterface. Does that count as participation in Dorky Pride Week? I THINK SO. So go with it.)



    On another note, does anybody else remember 2GE+HER? That fake boy band that MTV did a movie about, and then a TV show, and they actually hit so big that they outpaced *NSYNC on the charts?

    Yeah. I kind of just rediscovered them. And they are hilarious and wonderful and who doesn't love lyrics proclaiming, "I know my calculus/It says you plus me equals us!?" Hmm? Oh man. I am actually craving one of their CDs. And badly. Mmm. Hilarious.

    And this actually all came about because I was looking up information on Evan Farmer. Because I was watching While You Were Out. Oh, Amy, you scare yourself sometimes.



    There's one more picture that I never posted but meant to:


    Feet! From the release party.

    That is all. I really should be getting to sleep. I mean, I'm sick! C'mon, Amy! Be smart!
  • I think I post too often. Yes? No?

    Asthma is pretty much the stupidest disease ever. Simply the development of a slight cold manages to trigger an asthma attack, so here I sit, wheezing away and watching While You Were Out. Luckily, my asthma doesn't really act up that often anymore — not really since I was eight and had to spend a few days in the hospital (which actually still seems like such a random decision, as if the doctor always hospitalized children suffering asthma — to me, it was just another attack, no different from any previous ones). But since attacks are so infrequent now, when one does strike, it is so annoying. I can function just fine except for that whole breathing thing. Bleh.



    I've been listening a lot to the RED soundtrack, and I have to say that two songs on there have absolutely grabbed me: "Broken Ship" and "Another Life." Suddenly, I want so much more music from each of the artists. Oh man. It's nuts. Last night, I even introduced one of my friends, Chungyen, to the Denizen Kane track, and he was blown away, too. I love sharing music with friends who have the same love of it as I do. It's great because as I introduce him to artists, he does the same for me — and when I bring him one, he brings me about five. Chungyen is kind of my music god, haha.



    I'm starting to worry myself how much I've been obsessing over Spring Awakening. I kind of never shut up about it (as you can certainly tell). And this got me thinking last night that, well, it's amazing how much of our lives we'll give away to obsessions and loves-of-right-now. This whole Spring Awakening thing I've got going on? I'm sure that twenty years from now, when I'm only listening to death metal (haha, that would be weird, actually...), I'll look back and say to myself, "Spring Awakening? What was — oh. That." And I'll reread all of these entries and wonder what crack I was on.

    When Saskia and I were waiting to meet the cast on that horrid evening, a woman came up and stood beside us, talked to us a little. She had had on-stage tickets for the show that night and the next day — her fifth and sixth showings (or was it sixth and seventh?). And she had tickets for two weeks from then. She brought gifts for all of the cast members — something she does every time she sees them — and oh, she lives in Washington, D.C., so she takes the bus up every time she sees the show. Saskia thought she was very creepy, and though I agreed with her a little, I actually understood exactly where the woman was coming from. I do similar things for Harry and the Potters, after all. I see every Kentucky show, and would see every Ohio show, too, if I could drive. Last time I saw them, I brought them cupcakes. And Paul even remembers my name. Sometimes, you discover something that makes you change your view of the world — either only a little, or drastically — and living without it sounds frightening. I mean, if I lived closer to NYC, I would probably try to see Spring Awakening at least once a month. Because for some reason, without even seeing the show but just listening to the music, watching interviews and various clips on YouTube, something about the show has grabbed ahold of me, and living without it, not seeing it, makes me shiver and cower in the corner while all my friends point and smirk and wonder what my deal is.

    Yeah. That's exactly what I've done. I've backed myself into this corner of crazyweird dependency. And the most frightening thing about it is that I recognize its stupidity and ridiculousness, and yet I continue to hold on for dear life.

    I'll try to shut up about it from here on out. I will try to go five entries without talking about Spring Awakening. (Unless, of course, the strike ends and my dad says I can go see it! Um. Then there might be one post... just one... I swear....)



    Yesterday, we ordered five copies of the book on Amazon: one to send to a school, one for Carrie (she used to work in my dad's lab, but recently left for Kansas), and three for various family members.

    You know what really cracks me up about being on Amazon? This:



    We're totally a classic! Haha. Oh man. Weird.



    I have a few more pictures to post. They're rather random, but fun.


    On the way to the bookstore reading, we were all worried about being late — but seeing this ginormous Gossip Girl ad soothed our nerves. Haha.


    Poster at the bookstore :)


    This would be the Jerry Seinfeld Comedy Special (bagel with peanut butter, honey, and cinnamon), from Peanut Butter & Company. Oh man. So messy and delicious. There's no better way to celebrate Peanut Butter Lovers' Month.
  • I just don't know how to shut up.

    Before you begin reading this horribly long entry, I have one question: on tons of blogs, I noticed that tons of people do that “behind the jump” thing, where the front page of the blog just has a snippet and then when you click on the “jump,” it takes you to the rest of the entry. How do you do this??! Being able to utilize such features would benefit everybody, I think. Because as the title of this entry says, I just don’t know how to shut up.



    Except for two supplements, which I plan on submitting Monday or Tuesday (depending on when my analytical paper is ready to be uploaded), as well as one more transcript that needs to be sent out and a few scholarships I apparently have to apply for, I have officially done my part in the college application process. I have a few teachers to bother about recommendations, but that's no problem. (Although one of them isn't replying to my e-mails. Maybe they are going to his spam box — my main e-mail address is rather amusing but probably a bit sketchy — must e-mail him from my RED account.)

    Now that it's all settled, I feel like informing everybody where I have applied. I've really known the final list since early September — when I added NYU — and I started my applications in July. My college essay? Written in July/August (although I put the finishing touches on it this month when we turned in college essays as an assignment to our english teacher — after two more rewrites, he totally gave me a 100%!). So I gotta say, I'm pretty set with all of this. I now present you with Amy's College List:

  • Tufts University
  • New York University
  • Juniata College
  • Hampshire College
  • Sarah Lawrence College
  • Wittenberg University
  • Kenyon College
  • Centre College
  • Transylvania University
  • University of Kentucky

  • Now, since I'm an incredibly paranoid person, I will not actually tell you my top choices on that list because, well, knowing my luck, an admissions officer will find their way onto this site and be like, "AHA! SHE HATES US! REJECTED!" And, I mean, even if they aren't my number one choice, I must still feel something for each of these schools, right?

    Anyway.

    For everybody applying to colleges this year: where are you applying? Maybe we'll end up going to school together, omgwtfbbq! Ahaha.

    For everybody already in college: which school do you attend? Is your school on my list? If so, OMG TELL ME EVERYTHING. :B



    Thanksgiving was scrumdiddlyumptious. Two of my cousins came to eat dinner with us this year, which was quite nice. As I've said before (I think — I'm too lazy to go back and actually make sure I've made such claims), I'm such a sucker for tradition, so actually getting family to celebrate Thanksgiving with us? Freaking fantastic! (Most of my family is rather far away, you see, so this is something that doesn't usually happen.)


    Mmm, food. As you can sort of see (I've made the picture a bit small, but for good reason, as this post is too, too long), while the rest of my family put their beverages in wine glasses, I skipped that and stuck with the Sprite can. High-class, fo' realz. And those blue glowing eyes belong to Kiwi, my cousins' dogs. Do not fear.


    And then for some dumb reason, my dad decided that he had to take a picture of me to post on this RED blog, for all my adoring fans to read. HA. But whatever. Here you go. One "excited" picture, and one that is more true-to-form when pointing a camera at me. Oh, and that's my sister sitting next to me in both pictures. Her expressions are more amusing than mine.

    Then after dinner, we watched Rear Window on AMC, and the newest episode of Ugly Betty. I spent the entire episode explaining to Mark, one of my cousins, what was going on. He liked all the attractive people.

    The day afterwards, I went shopping with my sister and two of her friends — and I gave in to my obsession-induced materialism and bought a scarf from Gap, one that is in the Spring Awakening ad (god, what is my issue here? I used the excuse, "WELL I MIGHT NOT EVER GET TO SEE IT SO I BETTER BUY WHAT THEY ARE ADVERTISING." Jeez, whoever is drugging me, could you please stop right now?). Then she went to work and the rest of my family and I went out to eat so that Mark could eat a Hot Brown (both of my cousins are recently transplanted from Massachusetts to Indiana, and I guess Mark's been on the lookout for traditional southern... things. Yeah, um, I just ate a regular club sandwich, ahaha). Then we went to Joseph-Beth, where I showed everybody what shelf RED is on. I wish I had gotten a picture of such a scene: two twenty-something guys and my parents all down in the teen section, crouched over an essay anthology filled with essays written by teenage girls. Priceless. But no, when they started reading, I hastily made my way back upstairs to the fiction section — is anybody else this shy and weird, in that when somebody starts reading their essay they cannot be in the same room? I am just so terrible with those first few moments when they finish reading, especially when they aren't sure what to say and are trying to think of the best first sentence. Ack. It's just awkward. So no, I finally met back up with everybody when we were all ready to leave, and Mark first asked me about Saskia's essay, and then about mine. It was probably a little awkward, yeah. But I really need to get over this whole shy-thing. Sheesh, Amy.



    Why isn't this stagehand strike over yet? I would very much like to inform my father that I don't care what he says, I'm going to go see Spring Awakening next month. But I kind of can't buy anything until I know if the strike will actually be over by then — they'll refund the play tickets no problem, but plane tickets? Most likely not. Hmph. I hope that a negotiation meeting really is set for tomorrow, and that some sort of compromise is actually met, because I need to get over this obsession stat and I kind of can't until I fulfill my cravings. And I'm sure you all really need me to shut up about Spring Awakening. Hey! I know! Everybody start sending e-mails and letters and stuff to everybody involved in the strike, telling them to get moving already because I'm annoying everybody and you want to shut me up by letting me see the show! Or better yet, get them to come down here and perform it in my living room. Mmm... yes. That's it.



    Currently, I'm listening to Serge Gainsbourg, my favorite singer in basically the entire world. And because I'm sick (cold + asthma = gross) and bored, I've decided that I feel like posting a list of Amy's Essential French Tracks. Essential meaning Favorites. The same thing, I assure you. Now, I am by no means an french music extraordinaire — no, if that's what you want, then I can refer you to certain blogs, such as Filles Sourires and Dans Mon Café. No, I just discover this music as it comes along, whether it's wildly popular and well-known or not. It's all just so fun. (And like, half of these would be Serge Gainsbourg if I was just making a list of every single favorite song of mine — but I'm going to exert some self-control and just list one. But hey, everybody should go and look him up on YouTube — there are so many videos of him over there, it's nuts. And fantastic.)

    Also, a bit of a warning: some of these videos may contain brief nudity, so watch out if you don’t like that stuff, or if your parents are watching and they don’t like that stuff. But, I mean, these are all European, so what do you expect? Haha. Specifically, watch out on Benjamin Biolay’s and Mylène Farmer’s videos (hers don’t have nudity, but she is rather scantily clad, and the California video is basically about a prostitute, so whatever. Some people are freaked out by everything).

  • France Gall's Poupée de Cire, Poupée de Son: This video and song officially introduced me to French music, during that fateful weekend when I was stuck home while my parents were up visiting my sister for family weekend. As is usually the case, LiveJournal pushed me to discover this French obsession. And this video also directly led me to Serge, because he wrote this song. God, I love the internet.
  • Serge Gainsbourg's Douze Belles Dans La Peau: The first Serge song that really struck me. I watched this video of it on YouTube and I was sold.
  • Anna Karina's Sous le Soleil Exactement: Actually written by Serge Gainsbourg, and indeed sung by him, but I like Anna's version a lot more. She's such a gem. Unfortunately, I can’t find a video of her singing it on YouTube, so this one of Serge will have to do.
  • Alizée's Moi... Lolita: Anybody who doesn't like pop and/or dancing, listen to this. I dare you. (And oh my gosh, how could I forget this? Julien Doré, winner of France's Nouvelle Star (their American Idol), sings his version of this song.)
  • Benjamin Biolay's Dans La Merco Benz: He's a recent discovery of mine. When I heard the first few seconds of this song, followed by his breathy voice, oh my lawdddd. It reminded me a lot of Serge, see, so of course I was hooked.
  • Air's Sexy Boy: It's so hard to choose just one Air song. I have adored Air for years, and have gone through so many phases involving this duo. You can't go wrong with them, you really can't. (Here's a fantastic Levi's commercial featuring another one of their most amazing songs, Playground Love. Go watch! I'm sure you’ll remember it from years ago.)
  • Mylène Farmer's Deshabillez moi: I originally heard the first version by Juliette Gréco, but when I saw this video of Mylène's performance, I was blown away even more. Mylène is so epic and astounding. I love it. I also recommend California, the first song of hers that I heard.
  • Jacques Brel's Ne Me Quitte Pas: Probably his most well-known song, but can you blame people for loving it? Beautiful.

  • I would love to upload some of these songs for you download, but I think that's kind of illegal. Darn.



    Now: more pictures! From Central Park and Strawberry Fields. Only a few, I swear. I think when I'm sick, I have the tendency to go on and on and on and I'm not even that exciting. I'm just weird.


    Saskia, Sarah S. and I ventured over to Central Park after the museum.


    We walked around and I took pictures of random stuff.


    Oh my gosh, no head!! OH NOES!


    After getting lost briefly, we finally found out where Strawberry Fields is.


    Pretty pretty pretty.

    Then we froze our butts off as we searched for Ellen’s Stardust Diner, and finally found warmth at the bookstore reading. Ta-daaaaaa. There's probably about ten million typos in this post. But whatever. I shut up now.
  • Happy Thanksgiving!

    Hey everybody :) We all really have a lot to be thankful for this year, don't we? This amazing book that just recently came out and all. So amazing.

    Now, I don't usually watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade — it's so cheesy, and even though I do love cheese, three hours of it? C'mon! But I watched this year for two reasons:

    1) Jonathan Groff and Lea Michele singing "Give My Regards To Broadway." Yes, of course it has a Spring Awakening connection. God, I'm way too obsessed. (Saskia said the other day that I'm bordering on supercreepy. Um, are you kidding me? I think I've definitely already crossed the border.) (Of course, it was just my luck that when Lea and Groff came on, my dad started talking on the phone. Ugh, my life sucks!) (I'M KIDDING I SWEAR. I'm not that pathetic.)

    2) The Dunbar marching band! My friend Vincent's sister goes to Dunbar and is in their marching band — and I know a bunch of other people who are in the band there, too — so I had to watch and see them. And they played music from The Nutcracker! Rockkkk.


    Anddddd, um. Since I said I'd be doing pictures for a few posts, I'll post some from the Museum of Natural History. The parade starts up by the museum, doesn't it? So this fits....


    So yes, Saskia, Sarah S. and I went to the American Museum of Natural History. We decided that those aren't tusks, it's a giant mustache.


    There's also this whole nose-picking saga starring Saskia. Oh man. We're such weirdos.


    "Oh noes!!!1!11"


    "MINE!"


    As you can tell, I'm not really one for pictures of myself. It's just so much more fun to take amusing pictures of Saskia other people. Er.

    That's it for now. I guess tomorrow will be some pictures from Central Park/Strawberry Fields? Sure! Why not!

    Happy Thanksgiving, everyone :)
  • Pictures + Music + I don't really have much of anything to say, but who cares?

    1) I created a syndicated account on LiveJournal of the blogs on here, for those of you who want to keep track of everybody's posts through LJ, and for all of your friends, too ;) Spread the RED! Ahaha.

    2) Who else has listened to the RED soundtrack yet? I have to say that holy crap, I love it so much. I also just got Jingle Spells in the mail the other day, so every day now I'm listening to the line-up of Spring Awakening, the RED soundtrack, and Jingle Spells. Maybe a few other things in there (Benjamin Biolay, Serge Gainsbourg, MIKA), but mostly those choosings.

    3) I also made a RED wallpaper for my computer a while back. Its size may not match up with your computer's resolution (mine is set at 1280x800), but you may want to snatch it anyway? :)

    4) Over the next few entries, I think I'll be posting pictures from NYC and such. Just because, um, I can?


    At Joseph-Beth, we're on the shelf next to a HUGE Harry Potter display! So cool. So cool.


    We're in the current issue of Teen Vogue. Along with...


    The Spring Awakening Gap ad, WHAT!


    We came across it in NYC. Oh man. They're all so pretty.


    I'm sure you can imagine my devastation over not being able to see the show, due to strikers. And the actors didn't even show up that evening! (They were apparently there earlier in the day. Why does my luck suck!!)


    Saskia and I did get to see a musical though.


    We saw Altar Boyz, and afterwards we got to nab a picture with them onstage. (Juan was fiiiiiiine! Mmm!)
  • TV + Videos + So ready for tomorrow to be over!

    1) Chuck. Does anybody else watch Chuck? Who watched it tonight? I won't spoil anything for those who may have yet to watch it, but I will say this: WHAT THE CRAP NOT COOL OH MY GOD! ...*breathe*. Okay. Moving on.

    2) As per Amy G's request: here's a link to the video of Saskia doing a few sit-ups in the Museum of Natural History! What nerds we are. And here's a video of Saskia eating. (Warning: she does the gross :seafood/see food" thing reminiscent of elementary school. Oh Saskia.)

    3) Man. Only one more day of school left this week, and then freedom! Going to school today felt weird. I would have much rather woken up and walked down the street to get a bagel or something... oh, funny how much I now prefer that, seeing as I was only in NYC for three days. And I am still trying to convince my dad that I need to go back next month for Spring Awakening. If I can get enough people on my side, maybe he'll say yes... soon... very soon....

    Not only this whole school thing, but Thanksgiving is on Thursday! Food! (Not the biggest fan of turkey, but maaaan do I love stuffing.) And we get to have Thanksgiving dinner this year with two of my cousins. I'm so excited. I love having family over for holidays. I love family. I love tradition. I love the holidays. (But I do not love how early Christmas is advertised! Sheesh! I want Thanksgiving decorations! Giant pies and turkeys on the lawn, not Christmas lights and wreaths covering houses! And skip the Christmas carols! Give me Thanksgiving music!)
  • And all shall know the wonder

    Oh man. Being back home. It's kind of tough. I don't want to go to school tomorrow. I want to get right back on a plane up to NYC.

    Let's talk, I guess, about Saturday.

    Saskia and I woke up early (well, she did — I woke up normal time — and I still woke up before her, er, haha) so that we could head out to a bakery down the street to get breakfast. Cheese danish, mmm. Then around 11:30ish, Amy G, Peter, Saskia and I all headed out to Peanut Butter & Company, the restaurant I had most wanted to eat at. I got Jerry Seinfeld's Comedy Special (peanut butter + honey + cinnamon on a bagel — SO MESSY) and a vanilla egg cream. Amy got THE SAME THING. Amys are freaking awesome.

    Before catching the cab to Altar Boyz, the four of us detoured through to Washington Square Park and found this trio of guys performing, um, stuff? They were really rather offensive. But so hilarious.

    But Altar Boyz. Amazing. Holy crap. Hilarious. Mannn. I loved it so much. (JUAN IS SUCH EYE-CANDY, WHOOOOOO. Ow!) (And Matthew pointed at me during "Something About You," oh my gosh! I make him want to wait! Hahaha. Oh man.) Afterwards, Saskia and I got our picture taken onstage with them. Even though they were all sweaty and gross, I was like, "MMM MUST TOUCH." Man oh man. They were hot stufffff.

    Saskia and I proceeded to wander for a few hours. She splurged on her sister's birthday present, and we walked and walked and walked. During dinner, I realized that the next morning, I would be leaving NYC. A harsh blow, because I realized that being up there felt right. It felt good. I felt free. I felt wonderful. And I'm sure that after a while, those feelings wear off — but while they're there, you want them to last! And I didn't want those feelings to end. Man. Being up in NYC had me smiling and ecstatic and happy! And having to leave? Well. I had a definite Moment then: this is all real. And real things do end eventually. Sigh.

    Then, 7:00ish, Saskia and I wound our way back to the Eugene O'Neill theater, ready to wait for the actors to show up and sing, sign, etc. It gets to be 7:30 and where are they? Then word comes around that they aren't showing. They now do not have to. And suddenly, my one last chance to get this Spring Awakening experience is RIPPED AWAY. This! Is! Not! Fair! Walking away to find street with cabs and such, I'm chatting with Saskia and trying so hard not to burst out sobbing. (It's kind of funny, I guess, how much this devastated me. I mean, it's only a musical, right? But... I don't know. Sometimes you just feel so strongly towards something, and when you don't get it you feel like everything absolutely hates you. Bleh. Bad explanation. But I'm sure you get the picture.) My eyes are tearing up in the cab and all I want to do is get back and finish packing, probably sleep, just get my mind away from the devastation that was Spring Awakening.

    I call Amy G in the stairwell, letting her know we're back, and she says they're watching their recording of the Project Runway premiere. I tell Saskia once we've dropped our stuff and she's like, "Okay. Let's go." We head next door, tell them about our day, and watch Project Runway. Peter is too hilarious: he keeps criticizing it, and Amy is just brushing it off, "He says he hates it, but he always watches it!" ("Only because Amy does!" he responds.) We all talk about RED, about what it would be like to put a boys book together (would there be a wide range of submissions? would guys even submit?), and when Amy catches Peter being critical again, we joke about putting together a book with essays by grumpy forty-year old men. It would be called "Gray" (or is it spelled with an e?). ("These are the best shades of gray," and they would all be complaints about reality tv, music, teenagers, etc. Oh man. So funny.) Then, after Project Runway ended, they made us watch the last four episodes of the first season of Heroes. Now, I have never really seen any episode of Heroes before this. But after watching these eps, I NEED TO WATCH THEM ALL. (Thank you, Amy and Peter. You have sparked more obsession in me.) We joked a little about how Saskia would be going off to write about "HOW THEY MADE HER WATCH TV OMGZZ" and then all headed over to the next apartment to box up some lips cookies for Saskia and I to bring home. (A whole plate left over! And we got to take a bunch!)

    Saturday night was set up to be so horrible: no Spring Awakening, and having to leave in the morning! But hanging out and just watching tv with Amy and Peter? So happy-making. They kept apologizing about only watching tv, but trust me: I am no party girl. I much prefer staying in and hanging out. You don't need to plan for that! And by the time Saturday night rolled around, I was ready to sit back and soak in everything that had happened the past few days.

    Leaving this morning was indeed difficult. Driving to the airport, Saskia and I didn't really talk. I stared out the window, wishing that that freak blizzard had hit. But alas, it did not. And now I am home, and must face school tomorrow.

    At least it's only a two-day school week, right?

    I need to convince my dad to let me go back up to NYC next month. I need to see Spring Awakening. NEED. Oh man. Oh man. Oh man.

    THIS JUST IN: I HATE VINCENT A LOT. His sister is marching in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, so his whole family is going up there this week. WELL, GUESS WHO IS SINGING IN SAID PARADE? LEA MICHELE AND JONATHAN GROFF. Whyyyyyyy! Sheesh.

    Time to go finish homework. And work on my Altar Boyz critique for orchestra.
    Now we don't believe in hurtin' or in haaaatin'/'Cause that's the kind of stuff that leads to Saaaatan!
  • Where I go, when I go there...

    I was going to get on here and say that my time in NYC so far has been a blur. But that would be a lie. My first day was incredibly long: we (Saskia and I) woke up at 2:30am, flew into NYC, met Amy G, ran an errand, went to the party, went out for noodles, came back and slept. It was crazy, but a blast. Today, I woke up at a more reasonable time, hung out with Sarah S and Saskia at the Museum of Natural History, walked a bit around Central Park, ate at Ellen's Stardust Diner, and attended the reading at McNally-Robinson, hung out more with people and such. It's been well-paced. Not too long, not too short.

    Reading at the party was interesting, to say the least. Beforehand, my nerves grew and grew and grew and I kept thinking, "What have I done?! Why am I doing this?! Reading, first?!" But it turned out okay, so I've been told. Do you know how unusual and scary and weird it is to stand in front of a crowd and speak into a microphone and pretend like the voice you hear coming out of the speakers sounds nothing like it should and all the while having to read this personal piece that you've actually never read out loud to yourself, let alone to anybody else? (Bad planning on my part, refusing to practice reading it. But oh well. I was a trooper.) I can't say it was an amazing experience reading — this is the girl who freaks out over having to give lame presentations or speeches in English — but it was definitely a good one, though strange.

    Everything has been so fun. Really. The anxiety and worry I had about coming here and being totally clueless and lost? It's really not that bad. If anything, it might be easier being here with only Saskia. Family and large groups tend to make things a bit stressful, but with a friend, it's easier to work your way around things. Not only that, but you have to learn how to do things, and fast. I mean, hello, hailing a cab? Crazy! We don't hail cabs in Lexington! No, you call the cab company and they come to pick you up. But here, hey, I had to hail a cab. And it totally worked! Things like that, finding out that what you're worried about isn't so hard after all: it's actually a total blast.

    So Spring Awakening, the show for tomorrow (now to-) night is pretty much not going to happen. But Saskia, Hayley H and I still plan to hang with the strikers for a bit, maybe wait and see if the cast shows up. I saw the new Gap ad featuring the cast of Spring Awakening today in Times Square. I definitely had a glowy moment. (You know, when something wonderful happens and all you can do is smile and giggle and sigh?) What's great is that, when I first got the refund notification for the show, I was devastated, heartbroken, couldn't get over it, close to tears — but now, I'm all right. No, I'm great, actually. I think that it's hard to stay unhappy when you're bombarded with all sorts of new experiences and opportunities. Plus, I was way too worried about not making it to Amy G's place, or about completely messing up my reading at the party, or about getting lost in the city (ha). I can't freak out about one thing for too long.

    The most amazing thing about this trip? The book. Before, my Moments — the kind when I realize that this is real, this book is real, this is amazing, this is terrific, this is really happening — had been admittedly scarce, and fairly small. But I had one on the plane yesterday, at least two at the party last night, and one at the reading tonight. Meeting all of these amazing people, coming to NYC, signing books — crazy and mind-boggling and wondrous. This is really happening, isn't it? Yes. Yes it is. And it is so remarkable.
  • Oh, Whompy!

    Oh man. I love wizard rock. SO MUCH.

    Tonight, the Whomping Willows came to town.

    First off, Michelle and I began writing our first song about summer reading: it's about Asher Lev.

    The show was amazing. I love his songs so much.

    We discovered a way to one of the balconies. We were on top of the city, you guys. We were on the top floor of the apartments by the library. It. Was. Amazing.

    Matt (the Whomping Willow) came out onto the balcony to smoke, and he chatted with us a little bit. He told us to talk to some of the people inside because they could get us shows here in town. Whoa whoa whoa!

    Well, we did. And Michelle and I have a show. For February 8th. AT THE LIBRARY. WE ARE PLAYING A LIBRARY SHOW.

    I said to them how I had always wanted to go to a library show, BUT TO BE IN ONE?! They thought that was hilarious.

    Matt and the bands guy for the library, they said that they recognized me. Haha. I guess I'm kind of the city's WROCK girl.

    Oh man. I love how wizard rock brings out the absolute nerd in me. I love how much I love it.

    Writing about it for my college essay WAS AN AMAZING IDEA. Best I've ever had.
  • Once more, with feeling.

    Second post today, yes.

    Real short one, really.

    One thing: STAGEHAND STRIKE?

    I get where they're coming from. I understand their need to strike.

    But why nowwww? Why one week before Saskia and I go to see Spring Awakening?

    I really hope this is all sorted out soooon. :(
  • Book rock!

    So I'm kind of a wizard rock fangirl. To the extreme. I've seen Harry and the Potters five times — within two years — as well as Draco and the Malfoys twice, and on Tuesday I'm going to see the Whomping Willows. Yessir, I am kind of in love with wizard rock.

    But not only the going-to-shows aspect of it.

    Let's start... here: I'm an editor of my school's literary magazine. We had a meeting yesterday to discuss Undergrounds, our upcoming annual concert/fundraiser. We made some flyers, listened to some demos — and hey. Guess what?

    I'm totally playing at Undergrounds.

    This is nuts, actually. Last year, when Michelle brought up the idea, I was like, "UMM. MAYBE... NOT." And this year? I AM SO FREAKING EXCITED!

    Michelle and I, see, we write songs about books. Rewind to our sophomore year: we both wanted to think of an exciting way to study for AP World History, since the book was totally lame and the class kind of a borefest. We though, "Hey! Let's write songs!" After writing one about Hammurabi's code, we didn't get much farther, but we did get together a few times to study and listen to music. This is when I introduced her to Harry and the Potters.
    Yes, she was in love. Just as much as I was. When we discovered there were more wizard rock bands than just Harry and the Potters, we decided to skip AP World History: we had to start a wizard rock band.

    Cue The Wands. We wrote a few songs, but recorded even fewer. It was hard to get together and have enough time to write and record and everything. It's a blast, writing about Harry Potter, but really difficult when we have all sorts of other school assignments and such to attend to..

    In the spring of that year, we had to read Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Julius Caesar in our english class, and then do a project of some sort on it. We decided that, after going to see Harry and the Potters in Louisville (my third show, haha), we wanted to write and record songs about the play. We recorded about eight or nine songs and made up a CD called "I Wish I Had A Salad Named After Me!" It was a blast. And so we became The Literatures.

    The next year, in our junior year, we wrote some songs about the books we had read over the summer: East of Eden, The Scarlet Letter, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Fast Food Nation. We told our english teacher about it, burned him a copy of our CD (man oh man, I love those songs so much), and then we sang a few of them for my class. Holy crap. I was so nervous, so afraid, but when it was over, I realized how much I loved it. In the hallway during lunch, I ran into my english teacher and he said he was so surprised at how, in class I'm so quiet and afraid of speaking out, but when I starting singing it was like I was bursting out! And it's true: when I'm singing those silly songs with Michelle, something inside of me is just too happy to be afraid.

    So we're playing at Undergrounds. It's going to be a blast. I'm kind of nervous. But even more excited.

    Man oh man. I love Book Rock.
  • Release day!

    So the book is OUT today! Of course, I went to my favorite bookstore in town to see if they had it.

    No. :( My dad even asked and the woman said they have two on inventory, but they weren't out. Perhaps they were sold? Who knows....

    Then we went to Barnes & Noble, just for the heck of it, but no luck there, either.

    Maybe Saskia and I should just get featured in the local newspaper ;) haha. Great publicity!

    My dad and I were also saying that we should get promoted by, like, Oprah, or Ellen. How freaking awesome would that be?! I love Ellen! 

    Posted Nov 08 2007, 05:45 PM by amyh with 2 comment(s)
    Filed under: , ,
  • More Posts Next page »