"Les Misérables" trailer

OHMYGALIFREY THIS LOOKS FANTASTIC. I've watched the trailer four times and gotten shivers every time. If I watch it anymore, I think my hardened emotionless exterior will crack and I'll convert into a ridiculously blubbery mess of feelings.

I've actually only watched (the old) "Les Misérables" movie once, and I didn't pay attention to much of it but I know enough that I feel that (1) the story is fantastic, (2) the characters are amazing and (3) the music is phenomenal. Which is good enough for me for me to be insanely excited, even more so than when I usually am when I see the imminent unleashing of a potentially fantastic movie.

This is such a good trailer (however slightly misleading, as it kind of doesn't focus on the main character) and I hope that the movie can live up to it. It has so much potential. BAH, I'm looking forward to it so much.
Love,
-J-

The joy of sock launching

Today offered the perfect opportunity to remove my socks and throw them at a performance.  

At the "Got Talent" competition, one of the performers I'm acquainted with prefaced his band's cover of "Lonely Boy" by saying "I hope we take your socks off." I exchanged looks with the girl sitting next to me and we simultaneously took off our socks, balled them up and threw them at the end of the song. I'm glad the band fully appreciated having several pairs of socks launched at them from the front row.

However, I did have to crawl backstage to retrieve them from tech crew, eventually.

I feel like my life is ever so slightly enriched because of that moment of anonymously throwing socks at a band as a gesture of appreciation.
Love,
-J-

Becoming a hippie.

I'm considering becoming a hippie this summer. By hippie, I mean at least trying out being a vegetarian, supporting local businesses, attempting to become less materialistic, being more eco-friendly, etc. For no apparent reason it hit me today that I should (and I want to) be making a conscious effort towards those things.

Also, I want a hammock.

This conscious effort towards these things will seem a little hypocritical if I get hired by a chain/ a large corporation. Which, if anybody bothers to hire me, it is probably going to be the case. 

Now I could insert my usual gripping about not having a job, but I will use this opportunity to state that even though the place I was taking driver's ed from shut down when I had a single remaining driving hour, I state joyously that I finally got a letter that allows me to go to another driving school for that last hour. There is a small possibility that I can get my license before summer!
Love,
-J-

Partying, partying yeah.

So, my thoughts on my first high school party . . .

First of all, I greatly admire Reeves' parents' insanity by allowing thirty rowdy, drinking teenagers over to their house. They made us food and told us to drink out of red cups because if they saw bottles they would take them away. Those were their only rules for us.

At first the party was a little awkward because there were so many people, most of whom I kind of knew, but none I could really stick with. After people began drinking, the groups because more defined, as the people who were drinking and those who weren't. The majority of the people I was hanging with weren't drinking for whatever reasons. We eventually ended up sitting outside with pulled pork sandwiches while drunk people danced inside and yelled to obnoxiously loud pop music. We still had a good time 'drunk watching' and witnessing David tipping backwards and getting legitimately stuck in a folding lawn chair for several minutes (impressively, while completely sober).

I found that at a point that I could begin dividing people into the amusing drunks and pitiful drunks. There was this one couple who would slowly stagger outside every five minutes while supporting each other, give each other a few quick pecks, and step back inside, completely oblivious to the group of eight people on the lawn who were watching them in these recurring episodes. The one pitiful drunk that I could find was this 9th grade guy who staggered outside, took great pains in laying down on the grass, complained in various accents that he had to walk home after the party, stood up and staggered back inside. I walked in a few minutes later to see him sitting on a couch by himself in an empty room, drinking straight out of a wine bottle in his hipster glasses and backwards baseball cap.

My conclusion on my first high school party is that it was a reasonably good time. Possibly because even though I didn't know people that well, I'm still pretty comfortable with them. I approve. And I can cross something off my summer list, despite it not quite being summer yet.
Love,
-J-

Then I'll be one of the cool kids.

 I've been enjoying the last few days and the relative freedom they have given me. The stress from my exam has been replaced with a free period to do whatever the heck I want, and so far that has turned into going to the library, where I am surrounded by knowledge and happiness. I don't know why I prefer going to the library by myself when I could be hanging out with my classmates. I think it's because I've missed leisure reading and it feels more fulfilling to fill this hole than hang out with idle people.

In two days of having a free period, my to read list has acquired The Great Gatsby, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, and a book about how to photograph people (in which I found a picture of my friend Mei Ling as a kid, which was weird until I realized it was a locally published book).

I'm also taking advantage of the CD section of the library. For what it lacks in popular music, it makes up for in soundtracks. I have "West Side Story," "The Phantom of the Opera," and "Les Miserables" soundtracks, the contents of which are now (not quite legitimately) in my possession. Also, I will feel fairly ominous when I get phone calls from now on because this happens.

In other news, I'm going to a party tonight. Like my first real high school party, which should make for some interesting stories. I'm planning on bringing my Arizona green tea, sitting and watching crazy stuff go down from a safe distance. Hopefully it doesn't disappoint (or make my parents paranoid of all my future weekend outings).
Love,
-J-

Unrelated link of the day: A collection of portraits of people being pelted in the face with a leaf blower

Apparently I have mind powers.

I'm done with IB French, guys. So pumped.

The exam was actually kind of a joke. IB has fed me through so much pain and hassle that it made a three hour exam easy. French was uber time consuming and now I have 2nd period free, which is awkward but I'm okay with this.

Now it's time to party. *awkward party dance*

Actually, I feel really crappy right now. I told people before the exam that I was avoiding sunstroke until after the exam, and strangely enough, that's exactly what happened. I was fine in the morning, but by the afternoon I could barely prop myself up on my desk. Choir dress shaped sunburns are the worst.

I managed to go to the local "Got Talent" competition again. I ended up sitting next to a guy I know through musical that I haven't talked to for a year, since he graduated and goes to uni in Montreal. It was kind of weird but kind of fun at the same time. Also, the people from my school were sitting in the front center and we yelled things (1) to the performers, (2) at the emcee and (3) that were proclaiming our undying love for my school's tech crew, who were working the thing. The emcee actually is the most awkward individual known to man, and since we know most of tech crew, yelling compliments at them as they set up between acts as sort of an ice breaker. Generally being obnoxious was kind of fun.
Love,
-J-

Royalty, bungee and bagpipes.

Today was a little surreal. It began with me waking up at camp, in a rustic cabin full of sharpie signatures, at a youth weekend, TEC (because of Victoria day, there was no school). Despite being at camp since Friday, this morning was the first day I truely needed coffee. After breakfast, I got to help clean the bathrooms as part of my custodial purpose for the weekend.

At around 10:30, Moriah, Kaelen and I rolled out to go back into town for choir. By going to choir, I mean getting in formal, polyester dresses and singing to Prince Charles and Camilla in 25 degree (C) heat. I must commend my city for making itself look decent, and also its decision that inflatable bouncy things are necessary for a royal visit.

We got down to the stage about an hour before we had to sing to find most festivities already set up, including several bouncy castles and free cotton candy, and the crowd consisting of about 50 people. Bouncy castle in a formal dress, FTW. Even better, there was a thing with three inflatable lanes and harnesses attached to bungee cords. The object was to run as far as you could until the bungee pulled you back, and you would show your distance by sticking a velcro block to the velcro on the side of your lane. Aidan, Will and I decided that we should race each other (in formal dress, 'cause YOLO) and I am unsure of how far my choir dress flew over my head this one time when I was launched backwards.  I drew a diagram:

People soon filtered in, live music began in a rather Maritime fashion. A few of my friends broke out the Maritime dance moves. The band was pretty great with their lead rocking a fiddle.

Everybody was getting pumped for Prince Charles and Camilla to show up, and when they did, there was a huge crowd. The crowd had been following them around town. We sang our few songs, impressed the crowd, probably because we picked our best pieces, and afterwards, by the time we had changed out of choir clothes, they and the crowd had moved on. I liked that there was still the public festival vibe, something that I haven't experienced too much around here, where a community can get together and just have a good time. However, I didn't particularly appreciate the twenty-one gun salute. Having twenty-one mini heart attacks probably isn't good for you in the long run.

Then I third wheeled in an un-awkward fashion with Kaelen and Will because I was actually incapable of getting a ride home for a few hours. We laid on the grass in Queen's square for a while, surrounded by other people appreciating the outdoors in the south end. The only thing that disturbed my pleasant grass laying time was when a guy across the square casually started playing the bagpipes. He wasn't even busking, he just playing his bagpipes for the heck of it, in the middle of a residential area, not acknowledging anybody. I am so okay with that.

Now I am covered with bug bites, sleep deprived, and the back of my neck is sunburned a glowing, bright red. My French exam tomorrow should be fun. It will be so wonderful to have high school French over with, after years of preparation and annoyance. 
Love,
-J-

The Dart Game

Now, my friends, I will tell you about a game so infamously known as in my life as "The Dart Game."

The Dart Game is a game where one person makes eye contact and pretends to blow a dart at another person (both of whom must consider themselves to be a part of The Dart Game). The receiver of the dart must then drop to the ground 'dead' until another player of The Dart Game 'saves' them by picking the pretend dart out of their neck. A player can protect themselves from darts by holding their hand 'protecting' their neck (basically, like the one handed version of the choking sign).

Doesn't seem too complex, right? Well, when it started at the beginning of March, it wasn't. That is, until approximately 30-40 people joined and we realized that once The Dart Game starts, it's a never ending battle. It has appeared on facebook (ie: videos and inconspicuous links to gifs of darts being blown). This week alliances/gangs are being formed. For the record, I'm a Bumblebee, as opposed to a Stingray. We like to consider ourselves the good guys.

There are several other rules:

1. Once you are in The Dart Game, you're always in. 
2. You must show commitment to the game, as in you must drop wherever you are when shot with a dart. 
3. There are designated times and places where dart throwing is off limits (ie: choir concerts, some classrooms where teachers have stated their aversion to the game)
4. Don't be (too much of) a dick about it.

The forth rule is only acknowledged by some. For example, I don't believe that 'shooting someone after school in a remote part of the school where no one will find them, while also taking away their phone to prevent them from texting someone to save them' falls under that (there was eventually a search party sent out to save her.) Yes, people are actually that committed The Dart Game that they stay dead.

For those of you who watch Community, it's pretty much a (ever so slightly) toned down version of the paintball episode. 

I'm glad I go to a high school where this is a thing.
Love,
-J-

I am plagued by the want of summer.

I mean, it's hard not to be when everybody is staring lustfully at the vast, unplanned space that is summer after months of pecking away at schoolwork. Goodness gracious, it's less than a month. It's especially bad with people around who have finished a few IB/AP exams and have free periods to soak in the almost-summer feeling. People are planning parties, bonfires, barbeques, what have you, like it's actually summer. I'm currently invited to three parties next weekend and one the weekend afterward.

Basically, like 85% of my motivation for school is gone. I've been doing schoolwork without much of a break since September, can't I have a ceasefire or something? I'm considering a four days sleep marathon after my IB French exam next Tuesday, followed by half-assing the remaining few days until exams. Also, throw in some unstressed, non-academic related fun for a change.

Also, I will honestly be terrified if summer gets here and I still don't have a job. I need (1) money and (2) a way to fill time. I think next weekend I will start applying to fast food places.
Love,
-J-

Plans for a Sunday:

• Finish writing a prose commentary
• Take a nap
• Prepare for a French interview on Thursday
• Lament over the closeness of my IB French exam (9 days)
• Read Love in the Time of Cholera for English
• Learn how to tie a tie, strangely enough also for English
• Watch Lilo and Stitch

Links for your entertainment:

• 6 Reasons to Ride a Polar Bear to Work
• The world's cutest dictator (read the comments underneath, also)
•  20 obsolete English words that should make a comeback

Love,
-J-

"Sometimes, you just have to step in the bear trap."

-A metaphor about trying physics problems from my ever wise physics teacher

Honestly, I've started about five posts this week and then can't bring myself to hit 'Publish.'

It's just been a really weird week. My routine is doing something funky and there's been this manic thing going on with the general atmosphere in my house.

Here is a list of short anecdotes (and other things) about my week thus far:

Everybody is beginning to get antsy with summer so close. Actually, we have about a month left until exams, but the IB and AP exams are happening. This results in a lot of people have sporadic free periods to chill uptown (and rub it in everybody's face). As of May 22nd, the day after my IB French exam, I have 2nd period free. I await it with joy.

I went to the local "Got Talent" competition Tuesday, mostly because I know 5 out of the 10 acts. I'm pretty much a groupie, guys. It was pretty good because it was essentially a talent show where the bad acts had been weeded out in auditions. Everybody was definitely musically talented and it had that hilarious thing found in most talent competitions where most of the musicians fit (usually a bit over the top) into one musician stereotype or other. Some of these included a rocker chick, a scene kid, an alternative garage band, a boy band-esque duo, etc. It's like real life, toned down reality TV.

Early this week, I acquired 6 books of Harry Potter series. The funny thing is that I acquired them from my art teacher who whipped out a bag of books during class that her daughter left behind when she moved away, to give to whoever wanted them. Carrying around (almost the entirety of) the Harry Potter series through crowded school hallways definitely increased my nerd-cred.*

I'm also planning on increasing my nerd-cred tomorrow by dramatically reciting the lyrics of this song in front of my Chem class for bonus marks. I don't know like 90% of the class but the people in that class are so boring that I want to do something ridiculous. My entire existence in that class has been awkward until this point so I may as well give them something to laugh about.

I've come to the conclusion that The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz is the epitome of glorified Canadian literature. It's like Mordecai Richler wrote simply to be an asshole. He represents every stereotype as levels of terrible people. **

*It's like street-cred for nerds. Nerd-cred actually converts to negative street-cred.

**He helped write the movie screenplay and it's even worse, with unnecessarily sped up scenes, with the exception of uncomfortable moments. I swear, there was a silent, thirty second long, slow motion boob grab.  It summed up many long, important scenes in about the same amount of time. Also, there were exorbitant amounts of penis jokes, followed by the main actor's obnoxious, cackle like laugh. It was especially awkward watching it in English class.
Love,
-J-

Melted crayon art.

I made some melted crayon art this weekend. I thought it would be a nice addition to my room. I began with a 96 and a 12 pack of crayons, arraganged them according to color and hot glued them on the top of two canvases (because for some reason at Michael's, two canvases were cheaper than one.)

After that, I found a nice wall in my basement, covered it and the floor thoroughly with newspaper to prevent wax from getting on things.

Then, I took a blow drier to them, one section at a time.

Eventually, they looked like this. I think it will make a nice addition to my walls.

 Love,
-J-

I'll go for 'quirky.'

Today, I realized I can sing the (high) bass line in most choir songs. Possibly the weirdest victory I've achieved of late. One of a the stranger perks of being a girl with a naturally deepish voice, though I don't know how to feel about this at all. I will add it to my list of eccentricities.

Also, picture a fist pumping t-rex. Now picture a group of high school students in formal dress trying to act like fist pumping t-rexes. There was also a rendition of "Forget You" with horrid dancing, morbid water cooler discussions, my future while adopting the lifestyle of a squirrel, and the realization that approximately 85% of choir kids, many of them niners, are cooler than me on the average Saturday night.

Gotta love spending hours waiting to music festival.
Love,
-J-

Anti-burger flipping and chihuahuas

I went on a bit of a spending spree and feel guilty. However, I might have redeemed myself by tossing out about fifteen resumes into various places in the retail center of my city. Hopefully someone calls me back for an interview. I hate the fact that I will probably end up working in a mall of retail evil and idling middle schoolers who think they're cool, but that's where most potential employment lies closest to my house. My other option is burger flipping, which considering my friend Katie's experience in that area (aka, working with people on acid precariously in a MacDonald's kitchen), I think I will avoid such things like the plague.

While I was on my resume tossing expedition, there was a middle aged lady standing in front of me carrying chihuahua under her arm in line at Winner's. That in itself was a little strange, but what completed the picture was that the dog's tongue was perpetually hanging out of the side of it's mouth. Like, it's mouth was closed but its big pink tongue was awkwardly protruding from the side. A lady in line decided to make conversation with the chihuahua-carrying woman: "Does it's tongue always stick out like that?" She replied,"Well, you see, she doesn't have very many teeth . . ."

What a sad life that poor toothless chihuahua with the awkward protruding tongue must lead, taken shopping under the arm of a middle aged lady. Thankfully, I contained myself and didn't awkwardly crack up.

I appreciate the crazy people of my city. I should make a documentary.
Love,
-J-

Imminent summer.

Yesterday, it hit me that summer is soon. Like, in a little over a month. BAH. I have many things to accomplish between now and summer, such as getting my license, several major projects, an IB French exam, school exams, planing for senior year and finding a summer job. SO MANY THINGS.

This summer, I will strive to make money while also having free time. I want to have a summer where I can see my friends on days that are not on public holidays. I want to get a sufficient amount of sleep, avoid selling my soul for minimum wage and a huge workload with a sporadic schedule that basically requires one to constantly be on call. I will avoid a job that makes IB classes feel relaxing.

Basically, I don't want to repeat last summer. I want to have fun, read, go to the beach and make crappy contemporary art that I will tack on my walls for eternity. 

Because of who I am, this means that I made a list of things I would like to accomplish this summer in the tab thingies at the top of the page. As soon as exams are over in June, I will commence accomplishing my summer goals. I will add and cross things off as necessary. 

What are you guys doing this summer? Jobs? Chilling? Becoming a superhero? I'm curious.

I shall continue my night of listening to Sufjan Stevens (I'm on a kick) and filling out job applications.
Love,
-J-

Slightly related link of the day: The Age of Adz - Sufjan Stevens

I wore something other than jeans. So proud.

Music festival and my Co-op interview today. I hope my Co-op interview goes well and I don't do anything naively stupid and/or offensive (I made it through an interview to work at a baptist church last summer, so I can't do that bad at an interview for a class. Hopefully that logic works out). Also, it's a good excuse to abandon my usual jeans and look a little snazzy:

As the kids who do morning announcements at my school say, have a classy day.
Love,
-J-