eng001 English Language and Writing

WP3:Soundtrack to my Life

2008-05-08T00:14:00.010-05:00

The Little Mermaid Original Broadway Cast-Part of Your World

My love for music began at a very young age. Not long after I began talking, was I singing. This interest in music sprouted from numerous viewings of The Little Mermaid. My mom to loved to sing and together we we would belt this song all around the house. From my childhood to now I have related myself to Ariel and what she expresses in this song. Through this song Ariel expresses her all of her hopes and dreams. She is ready to be independent, and will do what ever she has to in order to live her dream. I am driven and inspired by this character. I too have dreams. I want to perform in New York, and while there have been times when I have thought seriously about abandoning this dream, I will not let logic defeat me. I know that I don't exactly have the ideal body type for most roles, nor do I have a lot of acting experience outside of high school, but as proven by Ariel, anything is possible if you want it bad enough.

Green Day-Good Riddance

Good Riddance by Green Day is about making the most of your life and the memories that live on. The song specifically states, "It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right. I hope you had the time of your life." This song has been used many times throughout my life to signify the ends of things, sports seasons, high school and other things of that nature. The first time I ever heard this song was at the end of my eighth grade basketball season. Throughout middle school and the beginning of high school I loved basketball. The basketball court was where I felt most comfortable. The freshly waxed wooden floors squeaked when you stopped suddenly. The rush you felt running up and down the court hoping to score. Standing at the three point line waiting for the pass, and feeling your body jolt as you catch the ball. Grounding your body and then shooting. The swish of the net as the ball goes through it. The crowd cheers for you and many hands pat you on the back as you hurry to the defense. You feel overwhelming satisfaction. In a way it makes me sad that I didn't continue playing basketball, but those were some great times and I did have "the time of my life".

Dreamgirls-We Are a Family

We Are a Family from the motion picture Dreamgirls describes how the closeness of their group has become much like a family and that they all have to work together to achieve their dreams. The same was true for many of the music and theatre ensembles I was involved in throughout high school. We spent so much time working together towards a common goal, that we became a family. The stage was our commonplace, our home, if you will. The paint on the floor of the scene shop outlined sets of show done in the past. Props cabinets line the walls backstage filled with objects that were familiar to most of us. A neon "Footloose" sign hung above the paint cupboards. Though they could not be seen by the naked eye the stage was covered with footprints of those who walked the stage before us, those families that shared a passion for theatre and passed there passion on to many generations. Near the entrance to the stage hung an illuminated sign that read, "Act Well Your Part. For There All Honor Lies." This reminded why we were there, not to be in the spotlight, but rather to do the best we could for the sake of the ensemble. We learned very quickly that you cannot let theatre be all about you. It takes many people to make a show run smoothly. When we were successful it was because we did so as a family.

Wicked-For Good

Ok, so this is a really crappy, illegally recorded (not by me) version of the cast of Wicked performing For Good, but it was all I could find. This was originally sung by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth on Broadway. The lyrics perfectly describe the friendships I have had throughout my life. Good friends are there for you always, no matter the circumstances. They listen intently to your venting and offer advice. They always offer a shoulder to cry on. They truly care about you. You know in your heart that without these people you would not be the same. I have been very blessed throughout my life to meet the kinds of people that meet these criteria. I honestly don't know what I would do without them. It scares me to even think about it. My friends are my rock. They are my support system and I would not be the person that I am today if I had never met them. As the lyrics say, "Because I knew you, I have been changed for good."

I'll Fly Away-Jars of Clay

I'll Fly Away by Jars of Clay is about going to heaven when you die. It is a beautiful song and the video shows many different images of angels. This was one of my great grandparents favorite songs. It was even sung by my aunt and cousin at my grandfather's funeral. My grandparents both used to sing it to all the grandchildren in the living room at their house. Their living room was the site for many family gatherings. The smell of freshly baked goodies filled the air as grandma would pass them out to all the grandchildren. We would all gather around grandpa's old torn recliner while he told us stories and sang with us. A few feet away sat grandma's recliner. It was in better shape than his and covered in crocheted blankets. The table next to it held baskets full of yarn and crocheting needles. Crocheting was one of grandma's favorite pastimes. She often attempted to teach me and we would sit there for hours, me asking for help quite often. She was very patient with me. The walls were covered with family pictures, golden butterflies and framed bible verses. Whenever we were over the floor was covered with toys, dolls, barbies, blocks and wooden ducks that my grandpa would make in his workshop. The living room now sits empty, but I can still picture everything the way it used to be. And I know that they are as happy as ever being with god in heaven.

Spice Girls-Wannabe

This video of Wannabe was taken from one of the Spice Girls concerts. My sister and went through the Spice Girls phase when I was in middle school. We loved them and watched the Spice Girls Movie at least twice a week. This movie had a very odd plot. It included a lot of singing and dancing, which my sister and I loved to impersonate. We each picked one of the Spice Girls and acted out the movie. Of course my sister got to be Baby Spice and I was Sporty Spice. Through our dancing, singing and acting, we transformed ourselves into the Spice Girls. We even attempted to speak in a British accent. This movie and our love for the Spice Girls brought my sister and I closer together. My sister and I are inseparable. We do everything together and tell each other everything. She is the only one in the world that I am this close to. I love her to death. She is my sister. And to think that I relationship like this stemmed from impersonating the Spice Girls.

Bette Midler-The Wind Beneath My Wings

Bette Midler's video for The Wind Beneath My Wings illustrates two best friends that watch out for each other. I love this song so much, but rather than associating it with friends that have changed my life, I usually associate this song with my parents. After all, it is their wedding song. My parents are always there for me through thick and thin. They support me even if they don't always agree with some of my actions. The chair in our living room has become a central place for us. This beige circular chair is one of the most comfortable chairs I have ever sat in. And not only is it used to recline and watch television or sleep, but it has become a place where I can bond with my parents. The pillows are stained by the many tears I have cried there in the arms of my comforting mother. Those same pillows are squished and misshapen from cramming six people on it for a group hug. It is covered in little black and white hairs from our dog, Lucy, who also loves to cuddle with us. This chair has seen many fights, conversations, tears, but especially so much love. I know that my parents will always be there for me no matter what. I don't just consider them my parents anymore, but also my best friends, because they are "The Wind Beneath My Wings".

First Year

2008-04-21T21:53:00.011-05:00

As my first year of college draws to a close, I have began reflecting on the happenings of the past year. It's hard to believe that it went by this fast.
It seems like just yesterday, that I was loading my dad's truck with all of my belongings, scared out of my mind because I didn't know what to expect. The trip to Lincoln was only my second time driving on the interstate. I followed behind my dad's truck, and I was extremely nervous driving at such a high speed compared to what I was used to.
When we pulled in to unload, random people started grabbing my stuff and began carrying it upstairs. I just kind of stood there, wondering what the room was going to be like. I hoped that my roommate would be nice and be someone I could develop a friendship with.
My mom and I grabbed the last of my things and headed up to the room, while my dad moved the car out of the fire lane. As we walked up the stairs, I was getting a little nervous because I wasn't sure what to expect. As we entered my room we were greeted by my roommate, Kaitlyn, and her parents. They seemed like really nice people and I was excited to get to know them. Our parents hit it off right away. Kaitlyn and I let them do all of the talking at first.
Once we had unpacked everything, gone to lunch, and done the whole matriculation thing. Our parents left, and then it was just the two of us.
We spent the entire night talking. We had so much in common. We talked about everything, theatre, boys, high school, friends and so much more. I instantly knew that this is someone that I could become really good friends with.
And it grew from there. It has been a really tough year for me and she has been there for me the entire time. When I lost my grandpa, aunt and uncle she was there to comfort me. When I just needed to vent, she listened. I feel now that I can tell her anything. We have so many inside jokes that most other people don't understand. In our meetings of the eleven thirty club, as we call them, I am usually laughing so hard that I am crying. I now consider her one of my best friends.
I have had a wonderful first year of college. I have had so many wonderful opportunities with music. I have grown as a musician and as a person. And I have made some of my very best friends that I know I will have for the rest of my life. What more can someone ask for?

Grandpa Barton

2008-04-21T21:53:00.008-05:00

I sat in University Choir marveling at the wonderful sound we happened to be producing that day. It had been a fairly good day up to this point. I had gotten my theory test back with a nice big "A" at the top. I had made to all of my classes and had just been in a generally good mood. This was about to change.
As I sat listening to Doc babble on about how we needed to have a unified vowel, something in my pocket began buzzing. This of course was my cell phone. I ignored it the first time, knowing that I obviously couldn't answer it in the middle of class. A minute or so later it went off again. I fought the temptation to pull it out and see who was calling, mainly because Doc was staring directly at me. Again just a few minutes later, it began ringing. As the phone vibrated yet again, I started getting a really bad feeling. I discretely pulled my phone out to see who it was, and as I opened it up I began feeling nauseous. It was my mother. She knew my schedule and would never call when I was in class, especially not three times in a row, unless there was something wrong. I didn't know what could be happening, but I knew it couldn't be good.
As much as I wanted to leave, I couldn't. So I sat and waited, not so patiently, feeling more and more sick as each minute passed. The end of class could not come soon enough. As Doc said, "Nice work today folks. See you tomorrow," I jumped from my chair, put away my music, and pulled out my phone as I sprinted out of the room.
As I slid open my phone, I revealed a text message reading, "Call me asap" from mom. I closed out of it a dialed her number. My heart raced as I waited for her to pick up. Finally she picked up. Her voice sounded uneasy and sniffles were interjected after every few words.
"Your grandpa isn't doing so well," she said as she began to break down, "You need to come home now or...." she paused for a moment, "or you might not get to see him," she finished as she continued bawling.
"I'll be there in forty minutes," I told her. I went to hang up, but then put the phone back to my face, which at this point was covered in tears. "Mom, tell him I love him," I said as I slid the phone closed and put it back in my pocket. I then raced across campus to my car, jumped in, and began speeding to Omaha.
As I drove, the reality of all this set in. His wife had passed away a little over year before, so we all knew that it was coming soon, but that didn't make us anymore ready. As I thought about all of the good times we had, I began bawling uncontrollably. The tears blurred my vision and made it slightly difficult to drive, but I kept going.
I finally arrived at the hospital. I found the closest spot, parked and ran across the lot. I hopped on the elevator and as soon as I got off saw the family. The look on everyone's faces said it all. I looked over at my mom. She was standing next to my grandma. Both of their faces were beat red and tears streamed down their faces. As I looked at them, they just shook their heads. I had arrived to late. He had passed away just a few minutes before I got off the elevator. I was devastated. I jumped into my mother's arms and broke down. I river of tears began flowing down my mother's shirt.
I told myself that I should have left class to answer that call. If I had I would have gotten to see my grandfather for one last time. That is one of my biggest regrets in life.

Project #2 Rhetorical Strategies Used in Informercials

2008-03-29T15:28:00.017-05:00

You are channel surfing and you come across an infomercial. You glance around the
room to make sure no one is there, and when the coast is clear, you watch it. When it's over and the number is flashing on the screen, you fight the temptation to pick up the phone and dial. Although many of us don't like to admit it, we are enticed by infomercials on a daily basis. The claims they make draw you in, making it very difficult not to call and order the product. This is because they use many different rhetorical appeals and strategies to make you think that you simply can't go without their product. The above video is an infomercial advertising "The Firm" workout equipment. This video appeals mainly to women through all three appeals of pathos, logos and ethos. This video utilizes almost all of the rhetorical strategies we have learned in class, and at times overlaps strategies. I feel the most predominant strategies used are example and description, through the voice of the narrator, and compare-contrast and cause and effect through the personal success stories.

It is very easy to see that the target audience of this infomercial is young to middle aged women. Out of all of the people seen in this video, there are maybe three men. The entire cast of the actual work out video is comprised of women. All of the success stories are given by women. It is always fairly younger women too. Not once do they show an older woman.

From the beginning, this video relies heavily on narrator to appeal both to logos and ethos by using the strategies of description and example. The voice of the narrator serves to describe how the firm works, provide statistics, and establish credibility by guaranteeing results. He describes how the firm works by using scientific principles of metabolism. This statement appeals highly to logos. A persons logic would say that anything that is developed by using scientific principles must work. He also describes how the firm combines aerobics and weight training. He claims that this reduces fat at a higher rate and builds muscle. He provides many statistics such as, the number of "firm believers" and the rate a which it burns fat. He also establishes credibility by guaranteeing the product. He claims that, "You will see visible results guaranteed in ten workouts or less". This statement appeals greatly to ethos and makes the audience believe that this product truly does work.

They use the testimonies of individual "firm believers" to appeal to ethos and pathos by overlapping the strategies of cause and effect and compare-contrast. Throughout the entirety of the video they interject personal success stories, which I believe to be the greatest strategy used in infomercials. We live in a time when body image is a big deal in people's lives, especially with obesity on the rise. So these success stories really appeal to pathos and "hit home" so to speak. People watch these success stories and relate themselves very easily to these people. The video makes very clear that these are ordinary women that have real lives. It shows these women in there careers as lawyers, teachers and mothers. This shows its audience that the firm is not something that is going to take up a lot of time in your day. It proves that you can lead your everyday life and still stay healthy and fit through the use if their product.

The women are also used to prove how easy the product is to use and how fast results are seen, thus appealing to ethos. The audio and visual components use two different rhetorical strategies at the same time. The visual component uses the rhetorical strategy of compare-contrast, while the audio uses the strategy of cause and effect. The combination of the two components make for a very convincing argument. The visual element consists of two pictures flashing on the screen, one before the use of the firm and the other after the use of the firm. Before and after photos create a great credibility with the audience. While these photographs are on the screen, the women in these photos proceed to describe what their life was like before and after using the firm. This implements the strategy of cause and effect. The women take many different angles when describing how the firm has affected their life. "Before the firm I was a size sixteen with elastic, but now I am a size six wearing a size four," says one woman. As another woman holds up a pair of very large shorts with elastic she says, "I used to stretch these out, but now I fit in one leg." All of these stories illustrate very clearly the results of using the firm. The combination of the visual and audio using two strategies at once form the strongest argument in the entirety of the infomercial.

This infomercial does a wonderful job of enticing its audience by intertwining many rhetorical strategies at once and touching on all three appeals of pathos, ethos and logos. It is now clear why it is so difficult to keep yourself from ordering products presented in these videos. They are carefully crafted and well thought out in order to have this kind of overwhelming appeal. So next time you reach for the phone, don't feel so guilty. You could always just blame it on the rhetoric.

Barack Obama's Plan to Empower American's With Disabilities

2008-03-28T21:27:00.002-05:00

“We must build a world free of unnecessary barriers, stereotypes, and discrimination .... policies must be developed, attitudes must be shaped, and buildings and organizations must be designed to ensure that everyone has a chance to get the education they need and live independently as full citizens in their communities.”

In the above clip, Barack Obama explains what he believes needs to happen in America to help people with disabilities. He use many different rhetorical strategies to appeal to his audience. His strongest strategy, however, is the use of pathos created both through narration and example. He begins by telling a story of how disability has affected his family. This establishes great credibility, in letting us know that he has personally experienced the affects of disabilities on a family. He describes the toll it took on his mother and the different challenges the family faced. This narration appeals to our emotions by creating a sense of sympathy for those with disabilities and the difficulties they must deal with everyday. His demeanor gives you the sense that he really cares about this issue and is willing to do anything to make life for the disabled easy and more independent.
He then goes on, giving examples of such difficulties and how he proposes we change things for the better. He not only gives examples of what needs to be changed, but also how he proposes it be changed. He describes the need to make building more accessible, get rid of stereotypes and discrimination, to ensure students with disabilties a quality education, and to ensure them job opportunities.
In providing people with disabilities with an equal education, he express his support of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. He also describes the need to test children once as infants as well as after the age of two, because certain disabilities, such as autism, don't fully develop until then.
He plans to give people with disabilities equal opportunity in the workplace as well. He plans to do so by leading by example. He plans to hire disabled people to work in government offices and encourage businesses to do the same. He also wants to create better health care plans for the workers.
By giving so many detailed examples Obama makes it clear that he is serious about helping these people. He is clear that he wants what is best for people with disabilities. The examples he provides make Americans want to get involved in helping these people become more independent.

Commercial Observation

2008-03-12T23:54:00.001-05:00

Observation and Reflection-Starbucks

2008-03-04T00:58:00.009-06:00

The door acts as a sort if barrier separating two completely different environments. As you cross this barrier, you go from the bitter winds biting at your skin and the sounds of angry drivers honking at one another as traffic piles up, to the calm, warm and welcoming atmosphere of Starbucks.

As you enter, your nostrils are immediately filled with the aroma of rich, warm espresso. The walls and furniture sooth you with rich earth tones of browns, reds, and oranges. The room echoes with friendly voices of employees and customers alike. It seems as though there is not a worry in the world for a single person here.

As I glance around, I notice people of all shapes and sizes, from all walks of life. The coffee house seems like a commonplace or getaway of sorts, for anyone and everyone. Near the entrance sit a mother and daughter. The daughter, sporting the latest Disney Princess apparel, looks to be about five years old. The mother, looking quite young herself, is maybe mid to late twenties. They sit together at a table sipping their drinks, cappuccino for mom and hot chocolate for daughter, obviously. The little girl take tiny sips, sticking her tongue out after each one as if having burned it, while the mother just sits there and chuckles. The begin discussing the happenings of the day, taking a walk, passing out girl scout cookies, just as dad arrives to pick them up.

On the other side of the coffee house sit two teenagers, one male and one female. It is very clear that they are on a date of some sort. They sit together in two armchairs angled towards one another. The man is dressed in a button up collared shirt striped with cool blues, purples and greens. The girl is wearing a fairly conservative jean skirt, covering three-quarters of her thighs, a brown and white polka dotted halter top covered with a tan corduroy jacket, and black open toed heels that made her at least a few inches taller. They were both quite obviously trying to impress one another. They gazed into each other eyes while deep in conversation, stopping every now and then to giggle. She then gently sets her hand on his knee as if to make some kind of connection, but they are abruptly interrupted by an employee’s voice. “Venti carmel macchiato for Julie,” he yells. She jumps up to retrieve her drink. When she returns with her drink, they pick up right where they left off.

I stand at the end of the counter, listening to the whirring of the espresso machine and the clanking of ice being shoveled into the blender, as I patiently wait for my drink. Finally, it is ready. “Grande mocha for Sylvia,” he hollers. I grab my drink and slice of pumpkin loaf and sit down at a table. I begin using my fork to slice the pumpkin loaf into chewable sized portions. With each bite, the moist and sweet pumpkin loaf leaves me wanting more. In between bites, I take sips of the warm and rich mocha. This is exactly what I need on a day like today. The door swings open from time to time, shocking my senses with the frigid wind. I take another sip to warm myself once again. On the wall next to me are three very large mirrors taking up the entire wall. The lighting is very dim, and the music being played is very mellow and relaxing, but I am unable to identify the artist.

At the table next to me sits what appears to be another collage student. She sits there listening to her I-Pod drowning out the sounds that might become distracting to her as she attempts to finish what looks to be a lengthy paper or project. She fumbles through papers, highlighting as she goes along. Then, she pulls out a Mac book and begins franticly typing. She doesn’t even budge when her drink order is called out, “Grande non-fat peppermint latte for Michelle!” The woman looks around and after only a few seconds, sets the drink on the counter and goes to make another drink. The sits there for a good five minutes untouched. Then Michelle stops typing. Realizing that her drink is ready she runs to the counter to retrieve it. When she returns, she takes a sip, sets her drink down and begins avidly typing once again.

The wind hits me again. I glance towards the door and see a woman, mid thirties. She is dressed in a dark brown two piece suit and heels. She looks very nice, as if heading to a business meeting of some kind. She walks to the counter and places her order, “One grande carmel mocha, one venti non-fat vanilla latte, one grande double white chocolate mocha, and venti peppermint latte.” After paying she walks to the end of the counter to wait. She stands there tapping her foot and checking her watch every couple minutes. She pulls out her blackberry and begins typing away. Finally, after ten minutes or so, her drinks are up. “Would you like a drink carrier for these?” the employee asks nicely. She nods her head, and once the drinks are in the carrier, she snatches them and rushes out the door.

As I take the last few drinks of my mocha, which is now very cold and mostly syrup, I think about the vast array of people that enjoy the atmosphere of the coffee shop. We tend to think as the coffee house just as a place for artists and business people, but in reality you can find people of all sorts enjoying its relaxing environment. It is the perfect place for many different activities. Whether you are on a date, spending time with your daughter or just trying to finish a paper, Starbucks is a great choice.

As my time here draws to a close, I throw away my cup and place my plate on the counter. “Thank you for coming and have a nice day,” says an employee sincerely as I walk back through the barrier. The wind slaps me in the face as I open the door. The sounds of lunch hour traffic fill the air. As I reach my car, I fight the temptation to go back inside, because this is my getaway. It is the only place where I forget the troubles of the day and just sit and enjoy a nice cup of coffee.

If I Were Stranded On a Desert Island

2008-02-21T10:46:00.003-06:00

First off, I pretty sure that I would make sure that I am never in the position to be stuck at the bottom of a well or trapped on a desert island, because that would just really suck. That being said, if I had to choose one or the other, I would definitely be stranded on a desert island. There is a higher chance of survival there. I am not sure how I would obtain my five favorite albums if I were trapped on an island, but I guess that would be a nice perk. Assuming that I were there by myself, no one would be able to tease me about my obsession with show tunes, yet another perk. Maybe I should get stranded on a desert island.
I want you to know that this is a very difficult decision for me, but I would have to choose the following:

Aida-Original Broadway Cast
Wicked-Original Broadway Cast
Bette Midler
Titanic:The Musical
Rachmaninoff-Vespers

Aida is about your basic love triangle. Girl loves boy, who happens to be next in line for the throne, boy is supposed to marry girl, who happens to be a princess, but boy love slave girl instead. All of this set aside, the music is gorgeous and that is the main reason I am obsessed with it. Adam Pascal, who plays Radames in the original cast, has the most amazing voice and happens to be the cousin of a good friend of mine. Although I have unfortunately never gotten to meet him I feel connected to him in a sense. So although this may make me miss a special someone if he existed at this point in my life, I would have to choose Aida.

Wicked is the true reason I am a musical theatre nerd today. It is the first professional show I have ever seen. I was lucky enough to see it in New York. Ever since I walked into the Gershwin Theatre on May 3 of last year I have been absolutely hooked. Plus, it makes for a great sing along to raise your spirits when you are stranded on a desert island.

Ever since I was a child, my mother has been bombarding me with songs of Bette Midler, and have grown to love her music. It is inspiring and beautiful. I identify so well with her and love singing her music because we have the same kind of voice. No matter where I am, it makes me think of my mom, and of I were trapped it would be nice to have a little piece of my mother there with me.

Titanic:The Musical, not to be confused with Titanic the movie, is based off the true events and the lives of actual people. In Titanic the movie, most of the main characters never existed, sorry there was never a Rose or Jack. The music has a wonderful orchestra part, which acts as a sort of visual at times by bringing the events and emotions to life. I was part of this show when I was in high school so I like to pull the soundtrack out to bring back the memories of that truly wonderful show.

Although I love me some show tunes, I also enjoy classical music from time to time, especially when it comes to falling asleep at night. I find listening to Rachmaninoff to be very relaxing. It also reminds me why I do what I do, because I love making gorgeous music.

Reaction to a Quote by Cara Olson

2008-02-18T16:03:00.005-06:00

"I cant believe it was only a year ago that I was following tour guides footsteps across campuses across the nation." Cara Olson

I completely agree with this statement. It seems as though my high school years just flew by. Those were some of the best times of my life, and as much as I am loving being here, I can't help missing high school just a little.
I can still remember walking in to Millard South High School my very first day as a terrified little freshman. I had pictures ingrained into my mind of what it would be like, you the stereotypical high school settings you always see on TV. I had pictured all of the different cliques having there own hang out spot, and never mingling with those outside there cliques. I, of course, placed myself with the nerds in this picture. I was just waiting to picked on by one of the upperclassmen.
I discovered very quickly that I was wrong. Of course, high school had its cliques, but they were not nearly as defined as the are on TV and in the movies. You could be a jock and a musician, a nerd and prom queen. I however had a hard time finding the groups that I fit in best with. I tried to play basketball, but it just wasn't the same as it was in middle school. It was too competitive now. If you missed a shot or screwed something up, you let the whole team down. Plus, I really didn't get along with the rest of the girls on the team. I tried student government, but not enough people knew who I was to get elected. So I gave up for awhile, just hung around with some of my friends from middle school.
It wasn't until sophomore year that I finally found what I loved to do, as well as a really great group of people to be around. I signed up for Junior Varsity Choir, and absolutely loved it and was good at it too. As an alto, I loved just belting the parts. Not only was it fun, but it became a great stress reliever.
When it came time for the all-school musical, a few of my choir buddies convinced me to try out. I didn't make the cast, but decided to do tech crew instead. This was one of the best decisions of my life. During the run of that show, I discovered my passion for music and theatre and made some of my very best friends. I continued to do music and theatre all throughout high school and grew closer and closer to these people everyday. The performing arts department was not just a group of friends to me anymore; they were my family.
They are some of the nicest people you will ever meet in your life and I owe everything to them and our art. They truly made me the person I am today.

Kristin Chenoweth: The Girl in 14G

2008-02-07T14:23:00.000-06:00

I believe that this video very accurately describes what it would be like living in New York City. It has always been a dream of mine to live in New York, but there are many pros and cons for me yet to consider. And yes, crazy neighbors that sing at all hours of the night is one of the cons.

This past summer was the first time I had ever been to New York. I could only dream of what it would be like, but in actuality it completely surpassed anything I could ever dream of. From the moment our bus entered the city, I was completely encompassed by the city's atmosphere. The tall buildings, the hundreds of taxis, the thousands of people walking the streets, are almost overwhelming at first. This is something that is very hard to understand unless you have experienced it first hand.

And then we hit Times Square. Flashing lights, sides of building entirely covered in plasma screens, and theatres galore are lining the streets. This to me was almost unreal. It was as though I was in a scene straight from a movie.

Me being the theatre nerd I am, spent most of my time on Broadway. My best friend and I stood in front of theatres in awe for a few seconds before snapping photos to take back with us for bragging rights. We then stumbled upon the theatre we would be spending the next evening at, the Gershwin Theatre, home of Wicked.

It finally came time for the much anticipated trip to the Gershwin Theatre for our first row balcony viewing of Wicked. My best friend, Ryan, and I had prepared very well for this moment by listening to the soundtrack nonstop and watching you tube videos. The set, the costumes, the dancing, but most of all the music was phenomenal. This too surpassed all of our expectations. From the first note played, we were both in tears. That show verified for us why we do music and theatre. We only hoped that we could do that someday.

As this trip drew to a close, I came to several conclusions. I am absolutely in love with the city of New York. As much as I would love to live there, I don't know if I could handle walking everywhere. It really wore my body out even after only a few days. The most important thing I realized while I was there is that I always want to be involved with music and theatre in one way or another, whether it be teaching, performing or even just being an audience member.

Quotation From Atwan02

2008-01-31T14:15:00.000-06:00

I am predisposed to the essay with knowledge to impart-but, unlike journalism, which exists primarily to present facts, the essays transcend their data, or transmute it into personal meaning. The memorable essay, unlike the article, is not place- or time-bound; it survives the occasion of its original composition. Indeed, in the most brilliant essays, language is not merely the medium of communication; it is communication.
-Joyce Carol Oates

Test Post

2008-01-31T13:45:00.000-06:00

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