Crap it's Christmas

Hey guys, so I'm definitely not the first person the realize this but its Christmas!
yay snow, Santa, Christmas cookies, spending time with family. All the things we love about this time of year, but the one thing i keep forgetting is that... its Christmas!

It feels like the semester just started and that Christmas is months away, that we have plenty of time left. We have had so much fun this semester already in writers craft that i don't want it to end, blogging and writing, and i keep forgetting that we have exams coming up soon.

Last Friday marks the last lesson all Data classes have this semester, the only thing they have left to do is the their ISU presentations. They will not be learning anything more about math for the rest of the year. To me this is a powerful message saying that we have finished half of our final year at Sinclair.

People have already started to apply to universities and congratulations to those very responsible individuals, I'm and not that organised and will have to do that very soon, but i can't believe this year is almost finished.

What happened to the year 2009? It went by so fast and so has our semester. For those of you in Grade 12 English, you probable can't wait for this semester to be over, and i applaud you for all your hard work this year, but I'm still sad to see this year and writers craft go.

I don't want to put a damper on any ones Christmas, and of coarse I'm happy its Christmas time because it is such a wonderful time of year, but i can't help feeling sad to see the end of this coarse.

HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS, and good luck on exams to everyone.

Foolish You

So around this time last year, i started to teach myself how to play guitar, for about the first 3 months i was awful, but over the summer I managed to get much better, and finally I can now sing and play (quite the feat for me), so I decided to write a song and tab it out sorta. So here it is. It's called Foolish You.

Verse 1

[C] [Am]
We’d cross paths, crash hard
[Em] [G]
You turn there, and I’ll turn here
[C] [Am]
Steer clear, no fear
[Em] [G]
I’ll jump, and you can crawl
[C] [Am]
Don’t fall, too late
[Em] [G]
Where you headed, in this state
[C] [Am]
Fool me, fool you
[Em] [G]
You gotta way with words, yes you do

Chorus

[F]
And you’ll crush my suspense
[F#]
And you’ll destroy with intent
[A7]
To break all my rules
[Cadd9]
There’s nothing you won’t do

[F]
You’ll push me to the edge
[F#]
You’ll push me right off
[A7]
And laugh as I fall
[Cadd9]
you’re such a doll

Verse 2

[C] [Am]
I say no, you say please
[Em] [G]
Quit begging, get off your knees
[C] [Am]
I’m tired, I’m through
[Em] [G]
I’ve had enough of you
[C] [Am]
Chin up, look here
[Em] [G]
Please know, I don’t hate you dear
[C] [Am]
You’re blind, I’m deaf
[Em] [G]
What’re we going to do about this mess

Chorus

[F]
And you’ll crush my suspense
[F#]
And you’ll destroy with intent
[A7]
To break all my rules
[Cadd9]
There’s nothing you won’t do

[F]
You’ll push me to the edge
[F#]
You’ll push me right off
[A7]
And laugh as I fall
[Cadd9]
you’re such a doll

-end on [C]-

It's about 2:30 seconds long, and it's really simple, but I really enjoy playing it.

The random letters in brackets are chords! So any guitar players out there know what they mean :)

Dear Mom & Dad

Of the favorite memories of our family,

Mom and Dad ,

Christmas rekindles all the best we've ever had~

The wonderful traditions you taught us,

And we kept from year to year

Added to each Holiday

To make it's meaning clear.

Your warmth, smiles and laughter

Kept us eager to believe

In the magic and wonder

That was part of Christmas Eve,

And though Christmas

Have come and gone,

It seems that wishes did come true,

In the lasting love our family shares

Because of the caring by both of you.

spirit's hard to come by; why not stir some up yourself?

This much-anticipated Christmas season will be joined with more than holiday spirit, iPods, Macbooks and the latest edition of Guitar Hero as 2009 draws to a close. However, it is inevitable that after each celebration parents and students alike wearily face the numbers in their dwindling bank accounts (that is, if they have managed to avoid debt) as they return to their lives in the New Year. The piles of presents having been opened, the money already spent, people can't help but give a sigh of relief that the worst is over. Christmas 2009 has so far painted a picture that has left Canadians with strained smiles at the mere mention of the phrase 'stocking stuffers'; the global recession of 2008 is still taking its toll, as unemployment rates hang precariously in the balance.


Families will be searching for ways to make the most of this tough holiday season - and the answer is both more enjoyable and less costly than you think!


Step 1. Regifting is never (NEVER!) a good idea when it comes to family members (you've been warned!) but that isn't to say that a gift for one can't turn into a gift for all! Buy a friend or family member a favourite Christmas Classic (It's a Wonderful Life, The Santa Clause, Elf or a newer family drama The Christmas Cottage). Wrap it up and place it under the tree - and don't forget a name tag!


Step 2. Make sure you're stocked up on a container of hot chocolate mix or eggnog - the essentials, of course. These can be used throughout the holiday break and makes for a lovely excuse to get together with old (and new) friends! Who needs to spend cash on a daily Starbucks fix when you've got your own stock of tasty, festive goodness available at home?

Step 3. Once the gift-giving has been brought to a close on Christmas Day, why not suggest a family movie after your turkey feast? Sit down in your TV room complete with blankets, Santa Hats and perhaps a working fireplace; put in the DVD, press play, pass the warm beverages and enjoy the film.

For a low-budget way to take the most out of the holidays, festive, family movies are the perfect remedy. Now all you need is a consensus on which movies to enjoy!

Found poetry

So I remembered Rebeccas challenge a long time ago to write a story based on the first line of a song, or a good song lyric.
Then I also remembered the 'Found Poetry' we did during one of our free writes.
So, what I did was put my ipod on shuffle and took the first lines from the songs that came up.
I then reorganized every word into a poem.

This actually took me much longer than intended, but I believe the result is pretty okay, I sculpted them fully into my own creation.

Here are the lines I used:

Here, a little sympathy for you to waste on me

I want to be rich and I want lots of money

Oh what a noble distinguished collection of fine little friends that you've made

I'm in chains, you're in chains too

I can take the rain on the roof of this empty house

My friend has problems with winter and autumn

Daintier, smarter, better-dressed; antique high-heel red doll shoes

Turn your ugly face, are you so surprised to see me?

Willow weep for me, bow your tallest tree

I'm sitting in a room made up of only big white walls

I can't help myself; I'm addicted to a life of material

No walls can keep me protected

I’m standing on the bridge, I’m waiting in the dark

Turn around, every now and then

Do you recognize any of these one-liners? :P

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Love and Longing in the Winter Rain

Here in this winter rain
I'm sitting in a Willow tree
I bow to my chains
and weep for autumn’s sympathy

(Fine chains round every room)

I’m standing in the dark on the tallest friend I have
the only noble friend,
waiting to be rich.
I collect red high-heel shoes
For the dolls in your empty house
made up of big white antique walls.
See me?
I’m on the roof,
in a life of material.
(you've made lots of ugly money to waste on me.)

I'm addicted.
to your face.
are you so surprised?
you're daintier, better dressed.
-
But I'm smarter.

No walls can help,
I can't take care of myself –
Keep me protected
I have problems and…
I want.
(a lot)

Oh turn me around,
And bridge now and then
Distinguish what can and can’t be.
-
I want you.
(a little)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So as you see I added my own punctuation in the style of found poetry...
Do you like it? :o
it may be a little forced / cheesy but you can only do so much with set words.

There were 4 words left over that I didnt use...
'of that with and'
and thats it!

So I challenge you guys to do the same cause this was actually really fun!
Like a big scramble game! :)

So while searching for inspiration for this blog post I began looking through pieces of my work that have amassed in my hard drive over the years. While I was reading through pieces, some fairly interesting, some absolutely terrible and angst ridden I noticed a few very strong and re-occurring themes throughout my writing. I'm not sure if these are all subconscious things, or just aesthetic fascinations of mine, but I figured it might be interesting to explore them!

One rather morbid thing I noticed is my obsession with death through freezing. I don't know why, but in a lot of my poetry and short stories that I wrote when I was much younger, there seems to be some sort fascination with ice.

"Locked behind a sky of glass
She lays there in an icy womb
Smiling, still, forevermore
The frozen lake is now her tomb"

"Her lips had already tinted blue around the edges and she looked as pale as the snow surrounding her. Before she knew it, she had slipped inside herself, and fallen into a dark sleep. The last thought she had was “Keep… running.”"

I'm guessing the death in these pieces can be attributed to the fact that I was an angst-ridden black-clad middle school child. The ice and the cold, however, still really do strike a chord with me. I just think there’s something so powerful about the image of snow and ice. Numbness; sharp, biting, bitter cold... something about the parallel between the beauty of snow and glistening ice and the simultaneous danger. It's like a sub-zero seductress!

Speaking of seductress… another theme is that a vast majority of my characters are females. I like to write about females. I like to read about females. I don’t know what it is exactly, but I just relate better to female characters. Guys to me are perpetually boring and idiotic. I don’t know. I also find it easier to picture female characters in my mind as well. If there are a bunch of different guy characters in a story my mind blurs them all together.

Through-out most of my poetry and writing I also found a theme of memories. I guess this ties in with my living in the past that I have blogged about before, but memories, hindsight, regrets, forgetting… these are all scattered throughout my work. I can’t tell you how many pieces of poetry or songs are based around these concepts and often use these words. Going hand in hand with this is Karma. Retribution. ‘We all get what we deserve (in the end)’. Countless pieces of my writing are inspired by karma.

Perhaps I should challenge myself more and attempt to break free from these categories I seem to be placing myself into.
The next piece I write will be different!

Are there any themes that you guys can notice throughout work of yours?

Christmas on the brain

The holidays are coming! And I, for one am incredibly excited. However, unlike when I was little and still believed in Santa Claus, I am excited for entirely different reasons. When I was young, I was captivated by the pure wonder of it all: the magical tale of Santa, the anticipation, and of course, the presents. But now, the holidays have taken on an entirely different meaning as I learn to appreciate what is really important.

First of all, the holiday is now about giving. Now that I have a job, I have more money to spare and I like to give to charitable causes. I know its cliche, but the act of giving truly does feel better than receiving. I have never been a material person and every year when I am asked what I want for Christmas I give the same answer: 'I don't know.' So although I appreciate the gifts I do receive, for me it feels better to see a face light up when I give them the perfect gift.

Secondly, I love the atmosphere. It still maintains a sense of wonder, although the believing part has been eliminated. There is something enchanting about walking down the street at night, the cold biting at my nose as I admire the houses illuminated in lights. And it always seems to lift my spirits whenever I hear holiday music playing; whether I'm at work, home or shopping at the mall. And accompanying this joyous music, the decorations seem to spread the holiday cheer. (And personally, I think my tree looks perfect this year after I hid all the ugly ornaments and spaced them out evenly. Some say I'm a perfectionist when it comes to tree decorating). It also always seems to help when we actually do have a white Christmas. There is something about the pure white, glistening blanket that completes that holiday atmosphere.

The third thing I love about the holidays is getting together with family. I spend a lot of time with my family, but I rarely see my extended family. And of course, nothing brings a family together better than delicious food. My mom has been hosting Christmas for many years now, and I always look forward to the turkey feast. And if the homemade stuffing and mashed potatoes covered in gravy isn't enough to make your mouth water, then there is always desert. (Cookies and squares that are only ever made for the occasion!)

The final thing I love about the holiday is the break that comes with it. Now that the break inches closer, I find my attention drifting in class. With all the stress that has come with this year, I can't wait to relax, sleep in and appreciate all the things I listed above.

So whatever it is you love most about the holidays, I hope you make the most of it.

Seasons Greetings.

Half is Whole

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince: Movie Review

Ah, the Harry Potter series. A now literary classic that is treasured by children, teens and adults alike. But many years ago, a director took a great risk and decided to adapt this favourite into a movie. And now, all these many years later it seems clear that the movie franchise only added fuel to the every growing Harry Potter fire.

The sixth installment of the film (there are 7 books in the series, and reportedly the final is going to be broken into two films) was recently released on DVD, and being such a Harry fan, I was sure to purchase it. And being such a fan of the franchise, I had my hopes high for this installment.

And it did not disappoint.

The story surrounds Harry as he faces the ever-present threat of Lord Voldemort now that he has fully returned. Harry and his headmaster, Dumbledore, begin on a quest together with the hope of bringing forth Voldemort's demise once and for all. And if the struggle of defeating the Dark Lord isn't enough, Harry faces typical teenage angst and romance.

The film follows the book fairly closely, considering it has to cram all those pages into a few short hours. This is an aspect I personally look for most when watching film adaptations of beloved novels. There is nothing worse than seeing an adaptation that destroys what you loved most about the novel. Aside from one unnecessary scene (Harry aimlessly runs through a field after the sudden appearance of Voldemort's Death Eaters, a scene clearly not in the novel) the film is completely satisfactory.

And to those of us who knew the story, before the film was released, it was well known that the story was laced with a darkness rarely seen in the previous novels. However, the movie does a brilliant job adding humor to lighten the mood. It has its fair share of laugh out loud moments.

So if your a fan of the novels, you will without a doubt enjoy seeing the beloved tale brought to life. And, if you are not a fan of the series, there is still room for this movie to be loved on its own. In summary, it is quite simply great fun. It applies good special effects, humor, and the pure joy of watching the characters we've grown to love as they face their latest adventure, for one of the most riveting Potter films yet.

The Harry Potter franchise is one that will never die. It has a magical way of uniting young and old with the pure love of such a brilliant and imaginative story.

My Ode to Cheese

Ode To Cheese,
Which Makes Us Smile,
When Camera's go Clack.

Ode To Cheese,
Which make us taste,
The greatest of flavors,
the wackiest of whack.

Ode To Cheese,
Blue, Gorgonzola,
American and Cheddar.

Ode To Cheese,
Beja and Feta,
In all types of weather.

Ode To Cheese,
For those on a diet,
or trying to get fatter.

Ode To Cheese,
with crackers and wine,
with grapes can flatter.

Ode To Cheese,
when you're sad and happy,
Cheese just fits.

Ode To Cheese,
Mountains and Mountains,
or bits and bits.

Ode to the Cheese,
To appreciate, eat, and take pictures.

behind the curtain

what don't i matter?
don't you care?
i don't flatter,
so i'm not there.

you left me behind
you let me go
let's rewind
back to hello

i was there
i brought you to life
now your over there
and now i face the strife?

I thought we were friends
but i was wrong
so this is how it ends
we've been together so long

how could this happen?
only yesterday
we were rappin'
and now we've go astray

you may have left
but i'm still there
you committed the theft
and yet i still care

nik to the beat

Pumping, bleeding, breathing, pounding, footsteps mimicking what should be the racing of our hearts egged on by your fucking passive natures.
But you’ve shed our crimson skins,
reduced us crawling along abandoned streets at dusk; lipstick and beer cans, smoke and silhouettes the only company of the coming night.
The comrades of a masquerade, of gasoline trailing along discoloured curbs, and rest our heads along the plank, line up for your kick at the can.
Fingernails separating from the skin, from hands clasped in iron shackles, a monotonous routine like fucking halos, hanging over our heads as if some in incentive to believe in the proclaimed existence of a higher power, to believe in the fucking good over evil, the devilish glares and smiles of rotting flesh;
oh, the transparency of faith to which we cling,
cling to like mattresses stained with lust and greed, of money laundering, blazing in front of the television, nine bullet holes decorating the walls, only the slightest hint of slaughter, sex becoming prostitution behind what should be closed doors, but instead lay wide open, torn from their rusted hinges. Broken springs hiding beneath the fabric slick with medication, pools of sweat, rivers along the contours of our bodies, moving, halting, heating up slowing down. Don’t pretend your virgin eyes haven’t seen the tragedy of trash-piles becoming igloos of the south. Turn your backs, a blind eye for the blind, cowards of your own society; the acid rain will hunt you first, singe you with pollution courtesy of the ones you’ve neglected, despised and reprimanded – oh but only if you’d give enough of a shit to knock on our doors; but first peel back the paint. Watch for the caution tape we strung ourselves. The curtains drawn back, infected hands drag along wall-papered walls yellowed with age, of tobacco smoke and the loss of sight.
Our swigs against your uniform, your guns against our glass bottles; this river’s meant to be crossed, to define enemy lines by the railroad tracks and the dead bouquets that lay there. Unmarked graves on the side of the road, burned to ashes returning to the dust so you can wash your hands and move on. Angels can’t hear our cries, our less-than-silent pleas, gravel digging into our knees, our lips can’t find a prayer anymore. The hungry go hungrier, the dying die, the living are dead; we are all skeletons in a world that God and His Angels have forgotten to care about. You’ve taken up your post, ignoring the network of strings attached. Palms outstretch, the mark of victimization clear upon our wrists, our calloused hands. The possibility of a great meaning, existence, of a purpose to the fighting – its all in your minds. Look around! This world isn’t getting any bigger! The food can’t spread like viruses do, they don’t adhere to the snakelike borders, waiting to change direction, to screw up His plan. And there never was a God damn plan.
We’ve been left to ourselves in this shithole of a universe – we can’t even prove our worthiness of living to each other! Man to man, on-terrain combat. The air holds nothing but toxins and oxygen, ever depleting, running on a timer counting down the years, days, seconds we have left. Is that why you’ve given up?
We’ll all be nameless in Hitler’s mass graves come judgment.
But until then, we’re pumping, bleeding, breathing, pounding like mindless machines working to an end.


*****
this doesn't really make much sense on its own. but it's a rant based on the idea that the perfect world doesn't exist. our governments are knowingly passive and fail to aid those who need it most in society - those who are often frowned upon, such as addicts or criminals or even simply those struggling to provide for their families living in poverty.

Splinter

Ok, so this post is a poem I've written, but it's very odd, and I'm not sure you'll get the meaning of it so i'll briefly explain. It's about a wooden man who is escaping society, but society doesn't want him to escape and they eventually burn him!
This is poem is going to be my guideline for the film i'm going to make for my portfolio for Ryerson :D

I use odd mechanics, and some weird phrases, but I really enjoy this piece, I'm not sure if you guys will though.

----

A splinter for you, A splinter for all
I shall splint, in spite.
You curse me, and damn me,
I cower, and shiver.
My stiff framework will not rest,
As I flee this nation of disdain
A stain on my heart, that creeks and wreaks,
Of sadness and worry.
Hurry I must,
Before my bolts, they rust!
Gears in motion,
That spark commotion.
My feet they bleed-
All I need
Shoes I must wear-
To hold my care
Escaping is surviving,
Cast your judgmental looks to the side.
Pride is lost with dignity.
Stripped of all significance.
As I thrust my feet forward,
Left and right,
By night, I’ll be out of sight.
Delve deep into my own world,
Dodging the flaming burn of words,
That hope to yield a scorned corpse,
That lay on the ground in a heap.
A black sheep they must get rid of,
A lack of conformity that stiffens their backhands.
I shall splint! I shall splint! I shall splint!
At light speed, a deed you cannot match!
That cannot be lit, even with the finest of lighters!
Your hands are greased for I am too slick-
To get caught in your trap!
Aha I laugh at the masses!
As time passes, I escape your sad attempts.
Silence me you shall not, you’ll rot in your own regrets!
Forget my rebellion,even your own bed hates you!
But I can only flee for so long until I find wrong....
And it’s only a matter of time before I turn to ash.......
Your rash will fade, as I burn down, and all that will remain......
Is pain, and a really bad memory of what it’s like to be free.....

Under the Snowflakes

What is this madness?
No snow?
It doesn't feel like Christmas - AT ALL!
Regardless, I have started playing Christmas music in the hopes of getting myself in the Christmas mood. Here's to hoping!

Silent Night - Sixpence None The Richer
Here, the bands signature mellow pop/indie-rock sound mixed with Leigh Nash's quirky voice makes for a beautiful and haunting spin on 'Silent Night'. What makes this song stand out from the rest of the spectacular songs on Sixpence NTR's Christmas album 'Dawn Of Grace' is it's call and answer verses between Leigh and a male vocalist that recreate for us a touching moment.
"Silent Night
I can see you in the snow
Holy Night
And I can tell that you've been crying..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6ml_YbgJsQ

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - Bif Naked
This song is nothing terribly beautiful or meaningful or well produced... it's just a lot of fun. Bif Naked shows us her 90's punk rock take on this Christmas classic. Her strange voice and stylings are something you'll either love or hate, but you can't deny that this boppy guitar driven song is entertaining!
http://www.upload-mp3.com/files/127747_5w8fb/MTV%20TRL%20Xmas-11-I%20Saw%20Mommy%20Kissing%20Santa%20Clau-Bif%20Naked.mp3

Snow Angel - Tori Amos
Tori uses her piano skills and unique voice here to create a beautiful orchestrated original song. It takes you into a dark christmas night with snowflakes falling, outnumbering the stars in the sky, while you lie on your back and enjoy the crisp air. While it isn't a Christmas classic, the content and tone of the piece fits in beautifully with any Christmas CD - this haunting and charming piece isn't just good for Christmas either, but for all winter-round!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS_uaSaVxKk

Christmas Tree - Lady Gaga
This song is not for the faint of heart, as it's all about celebrating Christmas... the way Gaga does it. This song really seems to me to represent the commercialism and self indulgence of Christmas, in an entertaining way. This hilarious euphamism filled song will have you giggling and simultaneously getting ready to 'snuggle' up with a lover over the winter season. This song is a good way to lighten up a heavier Christmas playlist... in the Gaga style.
"Light me up, put me on top
lets fa la la la la la la la la..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cP8RzHHhVI

So for the next few days I'll be listening to these songs on repeating hoping to get into the spirit...

And hoping that it'll snow, god damn it!

Eastdale's due for more than Credit... >_<

Were we meaningless? Did our efforts on stage merely project a feeble fucking attempt at describing humanity's journey through the expression of art?!

I can't say that it was; we must have made some sort of impression upon our audience at the District level of the Ontario SEARS Drama Festival last year - why else would fellow Durham school Eastdale, over half a year later, take our interpretation of a well-celebrated poem and put it on their own stage?!

I guess I should back up for a minute to explain what the hell is going on here. You see, for the SEARS competition each year, Sinclair Theatre has (under Ms. Eales' direction) taken pride in writing our own, unique pieces to present to audiences. Last year, we created a piece called "LOOK", which followed the evolution of art, and therefore, of mankind. We visited the caves at Lasceau, Hiergolyphics, the Spanish uprising against Napoleon's forces, the avant-garde then beatnik era, and so forth through our exploration. Without a doubt, one of the most well-received scenes in this play was what we dubbed "The Hollow Men" scene, in which we recited part of TS Eliot's sullen masterpiece of uncertainty:

We are the hollow men
We are the stuffed men
Leaning together
Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!
Our dried voices, when
We whisper together
Are quiet and meaningless
As wind in dry grass
Or rats' feet over broken glass
In our dry cellar - TS Eliot

Of course, we would never pass the words themselves off as our own creation, but our interpretation was what left people cringing in their seats.

We should have patented that shit.

Apparently, donning masks while twitching to choreography and falling into audiences laps off of the stage while reciting The Hollow Men is nothing special, because if our idea was so original, WHY THE HELL WAS IT ON EASTDALE'S STAGE???

I admit that I am jumping to conclusions here (my conclusions being that a) Eastdale liked what they saw b) decided to use it on their stage and c) probably didn't give us one speck of credit for stealing our scene in their programs), but I feel that it is entirely within my right to freak out. We worked too long and too hard to be swept under the fucking rug.
I'm not upset with Eastdale for performing the scene - after all, it was pretty freaky and damn good! - but what PISSES ME OFF is if (that) they didn't give Sinclair Theatre credit for anything.

It's cool, Eastdale. We'll see you at Districts.



**
Sorry about the rant! it needed to be said...