About Me

My photo
I am a blogger who specializes in using blogs to blog.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Five Minutes

"Time is the worst place, so to speak, to get lost in..." - Douglas Adams

Over the summer, on that infamous, not-blogged-about camping trip I took, I went to the Cornish Glass Museum and, after breaking several glass flowers in the gift shop, bought an hourglass. When turning the hourglass upside down, the sand inside is supposed to fall to the bottom over the course of five minutes, meaning if you need to time yourself for five minutes and have lost your stopwatch, you simply need to the turn over the hourglass and you have five minutes.

I wish.

Yesterday I stood in front of my bookshelf and turned the hourglass over. I realized I had never actually seen all of the sand fall to the bottom, I had turned it many times, but had never actually stayed to watch the entire thing. So I began to, and was about halfway finished when I had to leave. I was working at Strawberry Banke yesterday, as a roleplayer for their "Ghosts on the Banke" event they do every Halloween, I had to be in Portsmouth by 4:30, and since I had just gotten back from co-leading my sister's Brownie meeting which was suppose to end at the same time, I realized suddenly, I couldn't stand and watch the sand in the hourglass fall for five minutes. I didn't have five minutes to just stand and watch something. I had a few minutes to collect my stuff, drop off stuff, and put on some deodorant, but not five minutes to just stand still.

This has been my life lately, especially in the past week. I'm in the chorus in my school's production of Footloose, which rehearses everyday after school till 5 PM, I had to prepare for a HUGE debate in my debate class, which trust me, is a lot more intense than it sounds, plus, to add to all of that, I'm in a scene from Angels in America for a scene study at the New Hampshire Theater Project (Sr. Rep thing) I'm a travel agent, Ms. Lies (yes, it was originally Mr. Lies, for anyone who's actually seen/read/heard of Angels in America), who is someone else's hallucination, and therefore appears and reappears at random.

So, between all of this, and choir, and all my other schoolwork, that five minutes to watch the sand fall in my hourglass, just hasn't been there. I've had a few days this week where I haven't been able to get to a computer at all (which is, for me, a big deal, I can usually steal one for at least a few minutes of wikipedia-ing or checking e-mail, though I usually don't have time to answer it) Most days I've come home from whatever it is I've been doing and fallen onto my bed and almost instantly fallen asleep (another somewhat unusual, though welcomed, thing for me) I just...I haven't had time for anything, lately, anything at all.

Apart from all of that, I was also planning something. I was watching something the other day, last week, where they were interviewing people about their childhood interests and how they influenced their career choice. It was a cool show. So, in that style, I decided to do something similar, interviewing people about their childhoods and how they affect their lives today, and post the interviews on my Blog. I interviewed three different people over the course of the week, and haven't had time to post them. I swear to God. Or...whoever. Anyway, I apologize to the people I interviewed, I'll work on that as soon as I can.

Right now, I've got a second night of Strawberry Bankeing to do tonight, then tomorrow I have to go to church (I have a solo in the choir) then I'm going to a play with my grandparents, then I have to do about five hundred pounds of homework, and...it's crazy. Even at this second, I'm looking at the clock, and realizing that if I don't leave now, I'm going to be late for Strawberry Banke.

Einstein once said time was relative, that it was an illusion. If that's true, why are our lives so dictated by it?

Gotta go,

*Nelly*

Monday, October 15, 2007

The Environment

So, I don't know if you saw the banner at the bottom of my welcome blurb on the left side of this page, but today, Monday, October 15, 2007 is Blog Action Day. Hooray! For those of you in the dark on what Blog Action Day actually is, scroll down the page a bit and click on that gorgeous banner I mentioned earlier, that'll take you to the main Blog Action Day Headquarters. For those of you who are too lazy to do all that and just want me to get on with the entry, the basic gist of it is one day a year every person with a Blog logs on and writes one entry about the same cause. This years cause? The Environment. The entry can be about anything and everything as long as somewhere, somehow there is something involving the environment somewhere on October 15. So, in honor of the day, I give you...um, the environment.

Yay for the environment! Woohoo!

To be completely, totally, and perfectly honest, I have absolutely no idea what to write about for this. I've been thinking about it for a while, at least a week or so when I registered my Blog, but can't think of anything to write. I asked a few people today at lunch, and as I expected came out with more than a few somewhat odd responses.

The major environmental topic amongst the lunch table today was, oddly enough, Al Gore. Apparently, there is a significant amount of controversy surrounding his recent winning of the Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions to the environmental cause, a prize which, most seem to agree, he should not have been awarded. Now, to be honest, I have almost no opinion over this whatsoever. I care about world peace, I am a big supporter of the Nobel Peace Prize, but I think of it sort of like an audition. If you're disappointed this time around, if you didn't get the part or the Peace Prize winner you were hoping for, there's always next time. The focus should be peace, anyway, if you're really unhappy with who won the Peace Prize this time around, go out into the world and do something to win it yourself. Just make sure it's environmentally friendly :)

Another hot topic amongst teenagers and the environment was, of course, global warming. When isn't Global Warming a major environmental issue? There was heated debate today over whether or not Global Warming was real. It sort of reminded me of a scene from Anne Frank & Me when the entire class is in this huge argument over whether or not the Holocaust was real. Of course, in that situation, it went undecided and the main character got hit by a car, sent back to the 1940's, in France, as a Jewish girl, during the Nazi occupation and was later captured and killed in a gas chamber. In this situation, all that could possibly happen is that freshman kid from lunch getting sent forward in time to future where he is captured and killed by the Greenhouse Effect...or something.

So, since it's nearly 11:30 and Blog Action Day is almost over, that's my entry on the environment. Granted, it's not unique, it's not clever, it's not even really very interesting, but at the moment, it's all I got. I did a show today, went to a full day of school, went to my first rehearsal for yet another play, Footloose, and came home and babysat. I really wanted to write something a bit more thought provoking...but I can't. I'm sorry.

In other news, it's also apparently National Fine Arts Day. Hooray!

Be kind to the environment everyone, Earth's my favorite of all planets (other than Pluto) I'd rather it not be destroyed. Plus, what would the Lorax say? He speaks for the trees! He'd probably have a stroke if we destroyed a shrubbery, let alone the entire planet. Please be good, don't litter, drive minimally, don't let out toxic gases into the atmosphere, and please, please, please, just remember the environment once in a while. Whether you live in a cold, rainy, and often bitter environment like I do, or a warm, sunny, hot environment like a few people I know, take care of it, don't let it go to waste. Care for the environment, or the Lorax shall come after you in the night, provided there's still a night to come after you in.

Let the records show that I used a Lorax reference. Are you happy Freshman at the lunch table?

Happy Blog Action Day all,

*Nelly*

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Halloween Questions

I found these questions posted on Blogthings.com for people to answer in their blogs, and thought I'd give it a go. So, here it is!

Do you think Halloween costumes for kids and teenagers are too provocative these days?
A few of them are. Things like the "slutty nurse" or the "cleavage vampire" yeah, they're a bit out there. For the most part though, little kids seem to not dress like that. Around here, I haven't seen many belly showing, over exposed costumes on kids during trick-or-treating, but then most of the time it's really just too cold here in October to show much skin. Maybe out where it's warmer, there are more provacative costumes, but here you'll die of hypothermia.

How old were you when you stopped trick-or-treating? Do you miss it?
I was about 14 when I stopped trick-or-treating, really, and I still went out in costume to take my sister around the neighborhood. To me, you're never too old to dress up in funny costumes and run around asking for candy, it's a personal choice when you want to stop or not. I still go out with my friends, both of whom dress up with me, and we take my little sister out as sort of an excuse to go trick-or-treating. We don't ask for candy anymore, though sometimes they'll give it to us anyway which is nice (NEVER refuse free candy) but for the most part we mainly just wander around the neighborhood all night in funny costumes all night and make fun of the people who were too chicken to do it.

Do you think Halloween is too commercial these days? Do you miss classic halloween costumes or traditions from your childhood?
There's always the fear of a holdiay becoming too "commercial" which I think is completely ridiculous since it only becomes commercial if you let it. The basic tradition of dressing up in a costume, going from door to door and asking for candy is still there, and always will be unless every in the world unanimously says, "This is stupid why are we doing this?" and stops all at the same time. Yes, people are wearing more store bought costumes as opposed to making their own, and decorations from Wal Mart are getting more and more elaborate, but I think it's all a part of the natural evolution of our culture. Things change, things have always changed, Halloween and holiday traditions in general have been changing since the concept of holidays were invented, and if store bought costumes and elaborate Wal Mart "insta-decorations" are a part of this, than so be it. Embrace it, don't complain about it, and make the changes your own. Speaking as someone who has worn both handmade and storebought costumes, and had great satisfaction with both, I really don't think "commercialism" is anything really worth worrying about.

What's the first Halloween costume that you remember wearing?
I have vauge memories of being Princess Starina in either pre-school or kindergarden. I think it may have been my last year of pre-school, since I remember showing up in my costume for the big "Halloween Parade" we were going to do around the neighborhood my pre-school was in, only to be told that I was late and that they had already done it. I was very disapointed, if I'm remembering right, but I think they offered to do something else special a little later, since I was already in costume...I don't know. But that's the first costume I remember, my Princess Starina costume my mom made from this shiny magenta fabric and an old doily spray painted silver. I think we may have painted some stars on it too. It was your typical fairy princess outfit, you know, the kind every little girl wears for Halloween at least once. I think I may have worn it again though, since I think I was Princess Starina during kindergarden too, though that might be the year I was Sailor Moon...gah, this is difficult...

What's the scariest movie you've ever seen?
Probably The Ring which I've actually seen twice, both times because a friend was watching it. The first time I was spending the night at the house of a friend I don't really see much (she lives far away) and there was actually a well in the backyard. I walked around my house for a week turning on televisions and not answering the phone. I babysitted at this huge house about a week later, middle of the night, kids were asleep, alone in this big dark mansion-like house, and I got a call from this person who, in a raspy voice, said "Seven Days to live" after I said Hello. I screamed bloddy murder and dropped the phone. It turned out to be my friend (obviously) who I was about ready to kill till the kid I was babysitting came downstairs and asked what I was doing. Then I had to clean up my language. The second time I watched it, it went a lot smoother. I knew what was coming, and what to expect so it wasn't quite as frightening. I was a sleepover that night with a bunch of friends and we found an unlabled tape after the movie under the TV. One of my friends and I wanted to watch it to see what it was, but everyone else ran upstairs in terror and told us not to send the copy we would have to make to them. Turned out to be a talk show tape or something. Very anticlimactic.

Monday, October 08, 2007

Oktoberfest

I would like you all at this moment to raise a glass. I don't care if you don't celebrate Oktoberfest, I don't care if you don't have a glass, and I certainly don't care if you don't care, but right now I'm calling a toast, so be ready.

A toast! To something very precious, something that has stayed by me through thick and thin alike, something that though has frequently been gripped by the icy cold hands of death on more than one occasion has always managed to resurrect itself and remain true and reliable even in it's final waking hours. It is something that will be dearly missed, and shall never be forgotten. And so with those words I raise my glass to Lazarus, my brilliant and now deceased laptop, who on October 4, 2007 downloaded it's final file and died for the last time. May it rest in peace.

To Lazarus!

*Everyone drinks (alcoholic or non-alcoholic, your choice)*

And while we're toasting, as is the custom for Oktoberfest, let's throw in a toast for a few other people, hm? Here we go:

To Mr. P: My Driver's Ed. instructor, who thank GOD I only have to drive with one more time and then I'll never have to see him again. To Mr. P!

To My Cousin Miriam: Who just got a part in a play and has had all of one rehearsal, and who happens to have a really awesome green trench coat, and a scarf made from old sweater sleeves. She plans to take Bat Boy to the prom, and earlier this year stood five feet away from Mo Rocka(sp). May she continue to grace the world with her awesomeness. To Miriam!

To Antipholus of Syracuse: Poor guy, lands in a country has his money stolen, is mistaken for someone else, gets assaulted by someone else's wife, and can't figure out if he's on Earth, in Heaven, or in Hell. Stuck in a strange Comedy of Errors (and played by David Tennant), this guy deserves a toast. To Antipholus!

To My Friend Ophelia: Fellow Who-fanatic, co-author, and friend. Who can write TV scripts like the best of them, and who will one day have a hit show on the BBC or some major American network and become far richer than any of the rest of us can possibly imagine. May she be successful in any and all creative endeavors, and may she please forgive me for not having the next chapter done yet. (Sorry about that) To Ophelia!

To My Father's Pick-up Truck: Which unfortunately had to be given up around the same time we lost Lazarus. To replace it though, we got a cute Scion standard shift car also known as one of those "box-cars" that's blue. Cute car, but we will still miss the truck. To the Truck!

To Donna The Giant's Wife: This is a woman who needs a good drink. Granted, the actress playing her is not yet old enough for a good drink, but let's just say we're talking about the character for now. Her husband treats her horribly, she's forced to do servant's work, and still finds the time to attempt to save Jack from the giant. From her point of view, and mine, this woman is not an ogre, but a saint. I've also decided that she deserves a name, as she's just written in the script as "Wife" So I raise a glass. To Donna!

To My Friend Chris: Who not only does an absolutely amazing portrayal of Penelope the cow in Jack and the Beanstalk, but who painted the most brilliant cobblestones I have ever seen in my life. Who is currently going through the exact same amount of craziness as I am right now, balancing both this play and Driver's Ed, with the added pressures of various musical lessons, marching band, and probably several higher level classes than me. May he live through this week, and continue to be amazing. To Chris!

To Luciano Pavoratti: Whose name I have most likely misspelled, he popularized opera and was for some reason greatly revered among most of my extended family. He will be greatly missed. To Luciano!

To David Tennant: For just generally being David Tennant. This one's fairly self-explanatory to those who know me, I think. May he continue to be an amazing actor, Doctor, and Hamlet. To David Tennant!

To Michelle and Jason: My friend Aimee's mother and now step-father who got married last weekend in an absolutely gorgeous wedding. We toasted them about four times at the wedding itself, but since we're toasting now, I figured it would be appropriate to do it again. I would just like to add, however, that I still think my apparently "accidental" catching of the bouquet was planned, in some way. I still have it, on my bookshelf in a vase, that and the guarder. May the two of them (Michelle and Jay, not the bouquet and the guarder) have many, many, many happy years together. To Michelle and Jay!

To Anyone Else I May Have Forgotten to Toast: It's nearly midnight now, and I have school tomorrow, so to anyone else I've ran out of time to toast, but deserves a toast, I toast you! To All of You!

*All Drink (again, alcoholic, or non)*

Happy Oktoberfest all, may you all eat, drink and be merry this fine October. Huzzah!

*Nelly*