5 Months

Well, before I knew it, 5 months had flown by. So much has happened, but that's obvious, right? (B/C it's been 5 months!) Since I last posted, the last of the "Rome to Roma with Jordin Sparks" videos have come out, which you can watch right here.
Other reasons why I've been super-excited include this glorious fact: I'm going to JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY!!! So happy. When I toured it in August (a bit after I last posted), it was love at first sight. It has the major that I want -- the Writing Seminars, the #1 creative writing program in the country -- and the extras that I want, too -- the Peabody Conservatory of Music is connected to JHU, so I can take lessons there if I wish it. Yes!!
I can't promise that I'll have a running commentary of my time leading up to and during my time there (cuz you know what happens when I promise that . . . it doesn't happen . . .), but once in a while I'll stop and think: let's update this thing!
Anyway, here's my current obsession: Step, by KARA!

People To People . . . with Jordin Sparks!!

Oh, there has been so much happening as of late! I haven't even begun to process it, which is why this post has been a long time in coming.
Remember how I said that I was the lucky member of a special delegation for People to People this summer? Well, I thought I was lucky then . . . watch the video. Really. Just do it.
Then die of jealously. *giggles hysterically*



Yupp. That's us. We're going to Europe with Jordin Sparks!!
There's so much to do, so much to plan, so much . . . what am I even still doing on here? I've got to prepare!! *runs off to pack suitcase*

People to People, Brown, NBC, and Stephen Sondheim (what?!)

Seriously, how is it the 3rd month of the year already? It just doesn't seem possible at all, does it?

Anyway, since I've last written, there's been major news (not that anybody reads this, but oh well). You're looking at one of People To People's newest Student Ambassadors for 2011! *whoo whoo clap clap general awesomeness*
That right. Since my Select Choir director won a contest through P2P and NBC, she gets to take 13 or so students on a P2P European trip this summer, free of charge! We're going to France, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy, and you bet I'm gonna write about all of that! (especially since we're required to fill a journal up on the trip) Look forward to it! heee.

Also, I have applied and received my acceptance for Brown's Pre-College summer course this coming summer, which I'm super excited about. I've always wanted to do an official summer writing course at a college, and I was lucky enough to find one that took place after I come back from Europe. (You'd be amazed at how many take place smack dab in the middle of July, right when I'm going to be overseas -- including the one at Columbia, which would have been my #1 choice. But seriously, I'm sooo lucky, so I'm not gonna truly complain.)

This summer is looking to be insane, what with P2P, Brown, and surely a whole frickin' bunch of summer projects for the college-level courses I'll be taking next year. Let's list them, shall we?

Results

Well, I didn't get the role. *sigh* The role of Eponine was given to a senior -- which I'm fine with, because she deserved it. The roles of Cosette and Fantine, though, are a different matter. Not so much Cosette (which was given to a junior) as Fantine . . . which was snapped up by a sophomore. And I'm not even kidding.
The director obviously wanted a much more modern, "soulful" sound. I could have given him that, but I honestly thought he was going to do a faithful adaptation of Les Miserables. But obviously, considering the people he chose to be the leads . . . he isn't. Oh well. Le Miz means a lot to me, but I've had almost a week to cool down since finding out the results, so it doesn't sting as much as it did. *sting sting*

No, it doesn't matter that neither the junior nor the sophomore had ever heard of Le Miz before it was announced to be the musical. No, it doesn't matter that neither of them really wanted a part in this show, anyway. They thought it was too gritty -- too vulgar. Well, honey, if you think Le Miz is "gritty," you haven't seen anything yet.

I am a little bitter, but that's to be expected. And it's not like I'm only in the chorus. He made me a prostitute. *deadpans* A prostitute on stage during "Lovely Ladies," and then I have a solo near the end in the song, "Turning." One line of a solo. Damn. But I suppose it's better than nothing.

I'll just have to suck it up and try my best, which I seem to be good at doing. This experience has just taught me to not get involved in a musical/project which I have an emotional attachment to. That being said . . . I can't just quit. I do love Le Miz, after all, and if I quit now, there's no possible chance of getting a lead next year. So I just have to plug on through, and be the best damn trollop I can be.
(Never thought I'd ever say that. lolz)

1st Round of Auditions

I had promised myself that I wouldn't blog again until after the 1st round of auditions had taken place and I knew whether or not I had received admittance into the 2nd round. Well, due to several cancelations of after-school activities and such, the auditions were postponed a couple days, and then the posting of the callback list was pushed back since . . . well, the district cancelled school entirely.

But now it has been anounced that -- *drumroll please* -- I've been called back! Yes!

Okay, so not entirely a shocker, but still. You never know with this director; you can never tell what is on his mind.
I was out getting my driver's permit (finally), and when I came back, a voicemail he had left was waiting for me. It had informed me that I'd been called back for at least one part. He left the information by his room in the school, and to know what part(s) I'm called back for and to acquire the materials/music for them, I'll have to go into the building and look around this weekend.
We've already been out today, which was slightly horrible, since the wind and weather is so bitterly cold and snowy, so I'll have to wait until tomorrow to retrieve them. I can hardly wait!

Hopefully by the middle of next week I'll know, and will be able to blog some good news. Before then I might write another post, this time about the audition process that I went through for the 1st round.

Anyway, here's hoping for EPONINE!!  Wish me luck!  *^-^*



Here we have a much younger Lea Salonga (the same girl from the last video) in the 10th Anniversary Concert. Gosh, she's great. *sigh*

December Already

How has it gotten to be so late? The last post was from September, and now all of a sudden, it's almost 2 months later! I'm going to chalk it up to the fact that school keeps me busy, I had to study for the PSATs, practice and then perform at Area All State, ditto for Select Choir, etc. There were also 2 deaths within 3 days back in October . . . one in my extended family, and one in my immediate. My life has turned upside down, and everything is weirdly different, yet the same now. I'll let y'all know how it feels when the fact that the 2 most powerful women in my family died finally feels real.

Anyway, it's high time I get back to this blog, so here I am, dusting it off. *dust dust*

And as the school musical season sets in, I intend to chronicle my adventures, first toward procuring a (lead) part, and then in practice, and finally the show itself. Since the musical this year is Les Miserables, and it was my mother's favorite musical -- and my 2nd favorite, after Phantom, of course -- and since I'm a junior and had a supporting role last year, I hope to get a lead. Fantine would be my 1st choice, Eponine my 2nd, and Cosette my 3rd. But then again, I'll take what I can get. *laughs*

Speaking of Phantom, it's been announced that the next production of Love Never Dies will be opening in the spring in Australia, so if any of y'all come from the land down under, look forward to it. As for the Broadway production . . . it's been postponed indefinitely, probably due to the stupid Canadian anti-fan group, LSD (they're so disgusting I won't even deign to write out their full name). Find them on Facebook if you want to, because I don't want to waste my precious time wrting about those losers.

In short, I'm Back in Business (private joke, heheh), and raring to begin preparing for Les Miz auditions, which aren't until January. *ugh* But at least there's Christmas -- no matter how weird it'll be this year -- to look forward to. I leave you with a quote that my Task 4 English essay was based on:

"Curiosity is the basis for education, and if you tell me that curiosity killed the cat, I say only that the cat died nobly."  -- Arnold Edinborough

Supernatural Summer Tour 2010 (Part E)

Before we get to the main part of the post, I just want to mention that I will be INKPOPPER OF THE WEEK, this Monday, July 26, 2010. Yay! An interview (w/ some of my gorgeous pictures -- not of me, of course) with me will be posted on Inkpop's Blog sometime on Monday. If you're interested, please check it out! Also, I have two new works uploaded there, Loss, which is a piece I wrote this week for a writing workshop's anthology (Yes, I know what you're thinking: no more Buffy? *sniff* I've finished all the seasons.), and Black Tears, my novel. The latter also placed in the Top 10 of the Supernatural contest -- but only an excerpt, as the entry limit was 20,000 words, dangit. Now it's up for all to see, critique, and pick. *hint hint, nudge nudge*

On to the main event! lolz. This is the 2nd part of the in-Coldstone interview (once again, ignore the adorable-yet-completely-annoying kids in the background), and the last part that I uploaded to my Youtube Channel. {Just can't get enough of those links. *smilies*} After this post, it's completely original video -- new, and just for you guys. Enjoy.

This week's buddy icon is Honma Risa, who first played CereCere/Sailor Ceres in the Transylvania No Mori Kaiteban (Revision) in 2001. In 2004, she returned to play the role of Sailor Mars in Shin Kaguya Shima Densetsu, as well as it's kaiteban. This 2005 revision was also the last set of stages before SeraMyu went on a "temporary hiatus." . . . and hasn't come back yet.

Supernatural Summer Tour (Part 2)

It's been a long time since the last update, I know, but here is the long-awaited part 2 of my "Supernatural" experience.

To start us off, here are the official blog postings of my trip, on the Supernatural Summer Tour website and on the InkPop blog. You can get the basic idea of the trip from there. ^_^

It was a wonderful experience, so forgive me if I want to keep the details to myself, to kind of savour them. (I will tell you that it was my first time at Coldstone -- and I went there with 4 famous authors! *sqee* BTW, I had the same ice cream as Kimberly (Derting): Birthday Cake Remix. It was great, but probably something like a million calories. Oh well. ;) )

Check out my YouTube channel for videos of the event at Anderson's Bookshop (my interview, the authors' interview) and at Coldstone (me, asking them questions). To see the full list, check out my Supernatural Summer Tour/Interview 2010 playlist. Enjoy!

Supernatural Summer Tour (Part 1)

Well, it's less than 24 hours until I'm in Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville, Il., at the June 5 stop on the HarperTeen Supernatural Summer Tour. *excited face*

Once there, I'll have "green room" access to the stop, and I'll get to meet the authors (and hopefully interview them). They include:

• Kim Harrison (Early to Death, Early to Rise)
• Ellen Schreiber (Vampire Kisses novels)
• Kimberly Derting (The Body Finder)
• Kelly Armstrong (The Darkest Powers Trilogy)

I'm planning to capture it all -- well, most -- on video, so in a couple days I'll probably be posting whatever HarperCollins allows me to. ^_^
Here's an article about the contest (winner), that I just unearthed: Supernatural Writing Contest Winners Announced! from the main host site, http://www.supernaturalsummer.com/. The tour's almost over, but if you can make the Anderson stop, or the one after that, great!



If you're there tomorrow, be sure to say hi! *waves*

Inkpop Supernatural Contest

Well, the results of Inkpop's Supernatural Writing Contest were announced and . . . I won! *happy dance* Check out the link here: Inkpop Supernatural Contest

In case the link dies, it is/was a contest, hosted on inkpop.com, calling for stories or poems about anything supernatural (hence the title). Here is the blurb posted on the page:

"Write an entry for the Supernatural Writing Contest by tapping into your inner dark side. Do you have a story about vampires, zombies, witches, or some other supernatural subject? Submit your writing for a chance to win awesome prizes, including a trip to our Supernatural Summer book tour. You don't even have to enter the writing contest to win. If you read entries and vote, you could be eligible for prizes too."

And here is what I won:

"Our grand prize winner will be flown out to see the Supernatural Summer Tour and meet with the Supernatural Summer Tour authors. Keep an eye on the Supernatural Summer Tour for an exclusive content and an interview with our Supernatural authors hosted by our Supernatural Writing Contest winner."

In addition, I've won a mini camcorder (do people still say that nowadays? lolz) and a $100 itunes gift card.

Isabella2296 was the editorial winner, and she will receive a review and critique from a HarperCollins editor. Congratulations!

Thank you to everyone who made my winning the Supernatural Writing Contest possible! "Eternal" wasn't that big on the site as a whole, but it won because of all the great reviews and lovely comments you all made! I'm really happy that everyone took the time to read and critique it. Thank you so much!!

In celebration, here's an extra-sparkly MarinaMoon icon for y'all today! Enjoy.

More Love Never Dies News

Here is a montage of all the LND clips that have been released up until now.




I must admit that I'm dying to see this show here in the U.S., on Broadway. But unfortunately, that will have to wait a few months longer than previously calculated.

It turns out that because of Andrew Lloyd Webber's prostate cancer/general health, he cannot travel over here to continue with setting up the show. At least, not until his doctors say so, apparently. So now the opening is pushed back from November 11, 2010, to some general time during Spring 2011.

All Hail the New Bird Girl

For some strange reason, I decided to audition for "Seussical the Musical," my school's musical of choice this year. 2009's was "The Wiz." o_O And thus I ended up being casted as a Bird Girl, and now have to sing 3-part harmony while wearing giant feathers on top of my head. I'm so thrilled.

But though I might sound like I hate the role, it's actually going to be a lot of fun, getting to be someone different. It'll be an experience, at least. Hopefully a good one. *crosses fingers*

I've also finally picked out the song I'll be singing for NYSMMA (an edjudication, with an end possibility of getting to go to Area All-State and/or All State), which is Se' Tu Mami, composed by Pergolesi. It's really beautiful, and from the first time I heard it, it "spoke" to me. I've never had that happen before.
Hopefully that's a good omen!

On a side note, I've just finished the Mugen Gakuen and it's revision, and am starting on the 2003 Starlights. I miss Hikari. *sniff* But as such, my icon for you today is from the Ankoku no Black Lady Kaiteiban, a cute arrangement of images from "Knockin' Down Hesitation!"

I'm Officially Smarter than 99% of People My Age

Exactly what the title says.

I got my standardized test scores back today, and I'm in the 99th percentile for practically everything (except math, and that's in the 95th). I'm just the teensiest bit happy.


In other news, I've just joined Inkpop, a site for aspiring authors. Pretty much anyone can join, and if you do, friend me -- but mention this post, otherwise I might ignore your request (there are some trolls on that site!!). Every month, the top 5 picks for the site are read by editors at Harper Collins publishers. They give feedback on your work, and could even make an offer for your book.


Getting back to the test for a moment, let me just say that I did not get a perfect score. Far from it. I was close on the Writing sections, but no cigar. But isn't that a little pathetic, that I can do a kinda/halfway job on the test, and still rank so high? I'm smart and a sharp cookie, don't get me wrong, but the whole thing's kinda sad. Study harder, people!


(Then again, maybe y'all shouldn't. More competition for me.)


Do better next year!

InuYasha -- The Final Act

Okay, so I'm a bit of an anime/manga/musical geek.
I love Sailor Moon and all it's creations to death (whether it be the books, animated television series, live action series, or musicals). I also love anything and everything that Arina Tanemura does. Seriously, she's genius (i apoligize for going valley-girl on you).
But another of my life-long devotions is InuYasha. Whether it's the anime or manga, I devour it, it's so addicting. So when it was announced that there would be a second animated series, based on the remaining books that hadn't been animated, I was overjoyed, if a bit skeptical. The series had ended in 2004, and here it was, 2009. What were the chances that it would be picked up again?
Thankfully, the rumour was indeed true, and InuYasha: The Final Act, is real. The same voice actors, music, and animation style, thankfully, were kept. And add to that the fact that there's no wait for the series to make it's way slowly -- painfully -- over Stateside, and I'm just having a happy moment here, all right?
Forgive my blathering and whatnot, and I'll let you get right to it: InuYasha: The Final Act There's a new episode uploaded every Saturday, and as long as you can read and understand English, you'll be fine (I'm not sure whether or not Hulu translates itself between countries).

Have fun!!

Summer

Wearing: khacki shorts, t-shirt, golden gladiator sandals

Listening to: Party in the U.S.A.

Where did my summer go? It was just here, and now it's almost time to go back to the daily grind. And by that, I mean SCHOOL.
I'm not opposed to learning, and I get to see all of the people I've missed these past few months, and there are many, many people in the world that don't get to have as good an education as I do (no matter how biased it's becoming), but . . . a lot of it is a drag.
Like having to see that terrible stoner guy that sat in front of me in class all last year. Or taking swim and having my hair all wet and dripping when I'm supposed to be at lunch. Or the fact that I'm most likely taking way too many AP and honors classes, and my head will probably burst. Heh.

But there are a few things that have cheered me up lately.
Like this And this

Unfortunately, neither will save me from having to put up with crap in a couple days. *sigh* If only.

New Stuff

Wearing: black/white Aeropostale sweat jacket, ripped white-wash jeans, black moccasins

Listening to: We Believe You (playlist)

Happy August!
Right now it's a sweltering 87 degrees F here (which is hot for us), and I'm just glad that air conditioning was invented. :D

I've added some new stuff to the blog, cluttering it up, but it's all for convenience -- I just don't know whose convenience it is for.
New songs have been added to the playlist at the bottom of the page. A few Vanessa-Mae songs, plus some more BSSM (my own personal abbreviation). And did you notice that the page takes a little longer to scroll down? That's because of the Seventeen widget I put down there. I think it only applies to those that live in the US, but if anyone has a suggestion of another prize/widget thingie, just post a comment.

Rachelle Gardner, a literary agent here in the States, recently wrote a really good post, detailing the differences between craft and story.

Also, check out my work on Teen Ink so far! It's mostly pictures, though.

I just sent in a new work to them a couple of days ago, and hopefully soon it will be read and posted there. When it does, I'll let y'all know.

Miami Fashion Week (Day 4 & 5)

So Miami Fashion Week doesn't have the same status as New York Fashion week, and techically isn't an exciting or fashionable group of shows, but the swimsuits there can still be of high quality.

Well, most of them.

I picked a few of my favorites from the shows to post and comment on, most of them from the later days.

The first is a swimsuit by designer Mara Hoffman. What strikes me as amazing is that without the beaded strings, it's just a normal black bikini.



The second is a white two-piece by Vitamin A. Once again, little details make a piece all it's own. If not for the crossing straps in front (and the model's unhealthy-looking tan) it would be just another ordinary suit.


My third and (I must admit) my favorite number from the shows is this "suit," by White Sands Australia. I don't know if you could actually go swimming in this -- or wear it to the beach without getting stares (not the good kind), but you could certainly try!




Next is a cover-up by Fred Carter. He overdoes the accessories a bit (and the black lipstick, of course), but if the sunglasses weren't there, it's completely wearable.





To the left is an ensemble, also by Fred Carter. It's nice and all, but the model needs more of a chest. I just liked the floppy hat. :D



And finally, this flashy bikini by V Del Sol. It only looks so good because of the ultra-thin model, but that's the way the industry works, and there could be exceptions, as well. I'd probably wear it anyway.

Exciting News! (plus writing links)

Exciting news from me today!! (not that any one's listening, but whatever)
Recently I entered a contest, judged by author Sonya Sones, to write a mini-sequel to her book, "What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know." It had to been under 1,500 words or 10 pages, whichever you reached first. There would be one grand prize winner, and 10 runners up.
I wrote my entry, entered the contest, and promptly forgot all about it. ;^o^
So I completely wasn't expecting an email from Sonya personally, telling me that . . .
I was one of the 10 runners up!!

Okay, so it's a bit anticlimactic, but still. It was a national contest, and it really is awesome to be one of the runners up. Although my work probably won't be published on Ms. Sones' website (like the winner's will be), I do get an autographed copy of her book, and a free subscription to the magazine, Teen Ink. Sounds kind of flaky, but it's still cool.

Also, one of my articles on the Teen Ink website was rated #1 a few days ago, which made me super happy. See it at: http://www.teenink.com/raw/Health/article/89814/sun-exposure

I'm very happy right now. :D Hee.