Interlochen February, Day 15: Peace? What's that?

DAY 15
February 16
Prompt: "Your most peaceful moment."

Hmm...this is a tough one. There was very little peace at this school, I can assure you of that. I think the moments when I probably enjoyed myself the most were, ironically enough, the moments that I was alone (ironic because I spent a good amount of time complaining about how "unwanted" I was, being the little angstmonger that I was)--time spent wandering around with my camera, reading at Braeside, painting by the waterfront on a sunny day, curled up reading The Three Musketeers in the Writing House on a snowy night...

But that's not to say that I never had peaceful moments with anyone else. I think breakfasts with Isaac might have to take the top spot in this category...though walking in the snow with Thomas was definitely a close second, and of course watching Mary-Carole play video games was always fun (at least, when I wasn't trying to force myself to do homework at the same time), and I don't think I've ever had a better time at a dance than when I went with Krista and Rachel.

Peace is such a relative term at Interlochen. You're never really settled; everything is always going on all at once and you can either deal with it and keep up, or you get your ass kicked. Finding moments to yourself is always a blessing...but when it comes down to it, nothing beats having your friends there. Even if you don't talk. Even if you're just sitting there reading together, you're still bonding...and trust me, that's something you never, ever want to take for granted.

Look How Far We've Come...

Last summer, before entering my senior year, I wrote a post about how I felt before and after high school...without actually having left high school. Good going, Beatnik Belle. So I realized when I sat down to write this post that I had already said much of what I wanted to say, about how I've changed and how I've seen things changing around me. So what the hell am I supposed to write about?

I remember back at the beginning of the school year, how excited I was to be a senior until I realized that roughly 70% of my friends had scattered off to college. As I told my friend Miles, an underclassman, "The first week you come back, you'll miss everyone and you won't want to talk to any of the newbies; you'll just cling to the people you know. The second week, you'll start to make new friends and start to forget the graduates, and by the third week you'll have a whole new crew of people who you love as much as, if not more than, the people who left." That's so true--but now I'm worried that my underclassman friends will forget me, just like I was worried that my graduating friends would forget me last year. (For the record, they didn't. Not the truly amazing ones, anyway--you know who you are. <3)

Interlochen underclassmen, if any of you read this, here is something that you need to know, right now, depressing as it is: You will not retain every single friend you make at this school. Out of everyone you meet here, there will perhaps be a few people--a few really amazing people--who you will be friends with after you graduate or after they graduate. But here's the good news: After awhile, you won't miss them as much, because the people you really love will be the ones who stick with you, and who you will want to stick with. (Yes, I KNOW that sentence was not grammatically correct. Give me a break, I'm trying to pack, burn DVDs, write letters, and blog all at the same time here.)

There are people at this school who I love, there are people who I like, people who I dislike, people who I couldn't live without, and people who I wish would fall into the nearest active volcano. I will remember them all--but who knows how many will actually stay in contact? Only time will tell...but I've got a feeling I know who I will never let go.

And the amazing thing is...I graduated yesterday. I actually graduated high school yesterday. Wow. Isn't this where I'm supposed to freak out about college and growing up and leaving home and getting a job? Because that hasn't happened yet...

I expected that I'd spend the entire day crying my eyes out. Didn't happen. I teared up a bit during the ceremony--one of the advantages of being at the back of the alphabet is that you get to watch all your friends get their diplomas first--but other than that my eyes stayed dry. For the most part, I was just freaking happy. I don't think I stopped smiling the entire day, even when I got teary-eyed during the commencement ceremony...I was just like, "Holy crap, I actually did it!" the entire day. I took about a thousand pictures. Didn't get a picture with everyone, unfortunately, but most of the friends I didn't get pictures with I already have pictures of (just pretend that sentence made sense, ok?), so that's not a tragedy. The important thing is, I have pictures of my best friends (you know who you are, and if you don't, you'll figure it out really fast...), so I'm good.

I spent the last night before graduation pretty much freaking the f-word out. I didn't get recognized in any way during Honors Convocation, so I wasn't too happy about that, and I freaked out over that, but recovered pretty quickly and went to the reception--for all of about five minutes--with Isaac and Morgan. My entire family had come up to see Festival, but they left after Convocation so I could spend one more night with my friends. There was a dance, which we ended up not going to; instead we shot the last scene of What's Left of You (thank you, Alex and Annie!) and then spent the half-hour or so before sign-in writing "Vive la résistance!" in rocks on the Osterlin mall...which was pretty epic...and then I went and cleaned the lobby in DeRoy. Fun.

Graduation day, I woke up at too-freakin'-early 0'clock to shower, do my hair, pack, and get everything ready before lining up in the concourse at 9:05 (of course I was late), so we could process at 9:30. It didn't feel like I was graduating; it felt like a dress rehearsal. It was only when my aunt popped out and started taking rolls of pictures that I realized, "Holy crap, this is real!"

I had Pomp and Circumstance stuck in my head for the remainder of the day, but other than that, graduation was epic. Like I said, I took about a few thousand photos, then I went and had lunch with my family (no more Stone food = HELL YEAH). After that it was off to my room to finish packing, with the assistance of my aunt, cousin, and parents (sorry guys), and THEN it was time to go home.

I posted on FaceBook today, "'Isn't it so weird to be home?' Well, no, it's not being home that's weird, it's knowing that I'm not going back to Interlochen when I leave." And that pretty much sums it up. This fall I'm going to McDaniel, and who knows what'll happen there?

There are some truly incredible people who I have to thank right now, for the amazing experiences I have had this year and for their help in making my last year of high school my best, and there are some senior year stories that I'd like to share with you. This is going to be another extremely personal (and probably waaay too long) blog post...so please bear with me, I promise the next one will be more fun, upbeat, and contain more stolen dialogue and Ben Busch quotes.

First off...my amazing parents. Mom and Dad...Wow. Wow, wow, wow. You did it. You let me go, you let me grow up. I know it's been hard on you guys for the last couple of years, with me getting progressively closer to adulthood, but you have held up so well. You were there with me every step of the way, helping with college apps and SAT prep, showing me new ways to get where I needed to go, and providing much-needed kicks in the butt every now and then. I love you so much and can't wait to spend the summer with you. Thank you, a million times, for everything you have done for me, both for these last two years and my entire life. <3

My best friend, Isaac...Yes, I know I say this way too much, but I honestly don't know how I would have made it through the year without you. Whether it was physics homework, unnecessary drama, Dead Poet stunts or a film shoot, you were right there every time I needed you. Thank you so much for being there for me all year, you have no idea how grateful I am for your friendship.

Travis...Oh my God. Oh my freaking God, where would I be without you? To say that you kicked ass this year would be an understatement of breathtaking proportions. You made my senior thesis brilliant and gave me a long-overdue wake-up call. You gave me a chance that I would not have had otherwise. Most importantly you were my friend, you were not just a collaborator who disappeared as soon as the shoot was over. Thank you so much for your time and your friendship, you made my senior year ten times better than it would have been.

Elizabeth...Holy crud muffins, it can't be the end of our amazing reign as Hottest Roommates already! I have never had a roommate like you before. No one has ever challenged me, confronted me, made me think as much as you have. With someone as blunt--but well-meaning and kind--as you as my roommate, I couldn't wallow--thank you for not enabling me. You have made me a stronger person, I have learned so much from you, and I will miss you like crazy next year. Thank you for being a great roommate and, more importantly, a great friend. <3

Mishka and Gustavo...Holy crud muffins, I love you both more than you can imagine. I was so afraid that I wouldn't see you back here for senior year--I have never been so happy to be wrong in all my life. You were the first true friends I made at IAA and I will never forget meeting you at that bonfire (talking about playwriting with Gus and stupid American boys with Mishka). I love our craziness and our adventures, but more importantly I love how close we are, how we can be insane with each other and not worry about image. Thank you for teaching me how to embrace my inner starving artist. VIVE LA RESISTANCE! <3

Morgan...You came just in the nick of time. Second-semester Physics would have trampled me had you not been there to remind me to lighten the f#$% up. Our inside joke list just keeps growing ("It takes less energy to jump over a two-meter hurdle...") and I want to keep it that way. Thank you for showing up when you did, for being an amazing friend, and for being the brilliant, hilarious person that you are. And when your hardest classes get you down next year, just remember...FMGWAC! ;)

Jamie...Yeah, it's me again. You keep saying you didn't do much--you don't know how untrue that is. You gave me a chance this year even after seeing me screw up last year. You saved my ass multiple times on both my junior and senior thesis shoots. You have no idea how much I look up to you. I have so much respect for you as both an MPA and a person. Thank you for all of your help this year, and keep up the amazingness at Arts Center and wherever you go from there.

Emily H-C...I didn't know you last year, and it turns out that I was really missing out. If there is a person who embodies "Vive la resistance," it's you. You are an individual. You are your own person and have no time for anyone who doesn't appreciate that. I will miss your wit, your perspective, and your bow ties. Thank you for letting me be one of your many partners-in-crime this year...and please, for the love of all that's holy, keep up that resistance!

Thomas...Wow. Holy crud muffins, OMG, Jesus H. Christ, all those other lovely things I say when I can't believe something's happening...and this time I can't believe how incredibly close we became in such a short period of time. Every single moment was epic--from Halloween to Holiday Dinner to MORP, from our college app nights to random dinner conversations to those nighttime walks with the Death Trap. Have fun in college, my spirit twin, I will miss you. <3

Miles...You are definitely my favorite caucasian MPA freshman day student. You were a brilliant art director and more importantly a brilliant friend. You listened to my tearful rants and were amazingly patient with both my crazy family and my incessant need for picture-taking (how many photos of you do I have now, exactly?), you knew what to say and when to say it and when to just shut up and let me whine. Thank you for being there when I needed you, and for helping to make my senior thesis beautiful.

Sheridan, Erin, Siddhartha, Harry, and Rowen...The most incredible cast I could have asked for. I loved working with you all so much and I'm so happy that we "clicked" the way we did. It was a weird, random cast (four theater majors and an MPA? whoa...) but we made it work, and I am so glad we did. Thank you so much, all of you, for doing such an amazing job and making my movie memorable.

Dani, Rachel, and Preston...Thank you for the music, the weirdness, the inside jokes, the randomness, the epicness, the smiles/laughs/awkward nervous giggles, and the overall awesomeness. I feel so lucky to have known and worked with you, thank you so much for sharing your talents and giving my film the "kick" it needed from your music.

Danny Daneau and Andy Hiss, my editing/directing teachers...There were so many times I felt like giving up this year. No, I was beyond giving up. I was at the just-throw-this-f**ker-in-the-trash phase with my thesis at multiple stages--you wouldn't let me do it. You said, "No, you're going to finish this film, and it is going to be amazing." From the first time I brought in my idea to the first screening, you were right there behind me, giving me that "What do you think you're doing?" look when I turned around, ready to give up. Thank you for not letting me stop until I succeeded.

Aaron...MPA Trifecta, indeed. When I tagged along you were always there to let me in. When I needed a production designer you were the first--and only--volunteer. When I screwed up, got kicked out of a production, needed a shoulder to cry on, needed a job to do, wanted out, wanted to leave the department, you were there with a hug and some distracting wordplay. Thank you for being my friend, colleague, and classmate...and for just being an amazing person.

Alex and Annie...I needed actors and you jumped at the chance. What's Left of You was an underground production with no budget, no backing, no assistance of any kind; any other actor would have given me a "What are you, on crack?" look, but not you two. You said, "When can we start?" Right up until the very last night of school--we shot the night before we graduated, for Pete's sake!--you were there, you were ready. Thank you so much for being part of my production, I literally could not have done it without you.

Mary-Carole...You are definitely much more than a study-party mate. Video games, fanfiction, watercolors, ranting, food service stalling, randomness, dance workout mocking...there was never a dull moment when we were hanging out. This year would have been incredibly boring without our chill-out sessions in DeRoy. Thanks for spicing up my year, I'm going to miss our dorm parties. Have fun next year starting your own resistance! :)

Krista T., my fellow Michigander...Every dance with you was my favorite, from the 90s dance to MORP. I have to say, you voice majors certainly know how to party ;) I'm incredibly lucky to have a friend like you, someone who knows how to have fun, someone who is up for anything (someone who didn't rat certain resistance members for their random activities...). You made my senior year special. I will miss you so much next year. YOU BETTER COME OVER THIS SUMMER, MISSY. <3

Finally, every single one of my friends from this year and last year--Leyla F., Keaton M., Connor E., Ethan C., Jeff K., Sarah B. and Anne C. (my suitemates!!), Josh A., Seneca S., Tressa G., Mick S., Theo E., Sam K., Michael M., Jess N., Danny R., Kylie C., Hannah F., Ruth and Rachel, Emily D., Sarah P., Mike H., Heidi and Camille, Wisty A., Ellie G., Mida C., Marco Z., Gus P., Johnny S., Ariel F., Lena J., Kelly C., Niki A., Colin C., Bonnie B., Annie G., Nic W., Geoffrey W., Pippa A., Rigo E., Nicole A., Zac C., Andrew W., and Julia H.; and anyone else who I may have (unintentionally) forgotten. I love you all and I will miss you so much, thank you for making my Interlochen experience incredible and memorable.

I've been home now for over 24 hours. I have cuddled with my parents (yes, I KNOW I'm technically too old to do that, but screw it, I might be a legal adult but I'm still their kid), gone grocery shopping, watched an amazing movie called Get Low (which everyone should see because it's brilliant), gone photo-crazy on FaceBook, gone through some McDaniel College stuff, gotten some mail, laughed hysterically over a friend's first-ever FaceBook status (because that's what you do when you love someone), edited some of my movie, done some laundry, and made another unsuccessful attempt to burn DVDs. (As always, it's Technology: 100, Beatnik Belle: 0. But it WILL happen. I swear, I WILL make those stupid DVDs work.)

And I've also made an executive decision concerning my blog, which includes good news and bad news.

The bad news: I will not start another blog now that I've graduated.

...

...

...

The good news?

I'm continuing this one.

Why? Here's why: In plain English, I freaking love this blog. I'm not ready to sever my connection to Interlochen yet--flawed as it is, it's still one of the places I've come from and I don't care how many bumps I've run over along the way, I'm proud of that. And who knows, maybe in a few decades, I'll be sending my kids to Interlochen...who could tell? The point is, I'm not letting go of The Bubble just yet. I'm just not ready. And so, Alien Water Torture will continue.

Here's what this means, though--I'm going to get a bit more serious in terms of what I post. I'm going to start putting myself out here, because, hey, I've got people in freaking China following this blog, why not use that to my advantage. I can use this blog to promote the films I've made, the films and music my friends have made, the amazing artists I know (hence the Artist as Badass posts that ARE going to continue *crosses fingers*), and that's exactly what I'm going to do.

So hold on, AWT readers. We're going for a wild ride. I'm going to freaking college! I'm going into the world, and I'm taking you with me.

VIVE LA RÉSISTANCE!

A peek into the past...

Happy Easter!!!!

Now, I was about to write a post on the ridiculousness that is the Interlochen tip line, and why it should NOT be abused...but my parents came up this weekend and brought me an Easter basket, something I haven't had for awhile (last few years, I've taken it upon myself to make my parents Easter baskets instead), and it got me feeling a bit nostalgic because it had pretty much every favorite childhood candy of mine: Smarties, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and a MASSIVE white chocolate Russell Stover bunny. (Anyone else remember those huge solid Russell Stover chocolate things that were a pain in the neck to eat because when you tried to break off a piece it just melted in your hands and got chocolate under your nails? Anyone?)

So, while I wait to hear back from my chosen artist for the first "Artist as Badass" post (it WILL come, you guys, I swear), here's a bit of reminiscing about being a kid...and the weird stuff that came with it. Anyone else remember these bits of strangeness and wonder, "Why in the hell did I like that stuff?" And, for bonus points, I added the teenage equivalent, a.k.a. the weird thing that has replaced the weird things we did/had when we were kids.

KIDZ BOP

What I remember: Nothing's weirder than hearing a gang of ten-year-olds trying to belt out a U2 single. And yet I definitely owned a handful of these CDs, as did a fair few of my friends. Why? Well, they were fun, cheap, and convenient. If you didn't like to listen to the radio, this was a great way to hear all your favorite songs without the commercials (and the talent, but hey, necessary sacrifice, right?), with the added bonus of making fun of the entire thing.

The teenage equivalent: Definitely Rebecca Black. Hate to say it, but I honestly think some of those ten-year-olds could come up with better songs than hers. (Ten bucks says that the next Kidz Bop CD - yes, they're STILL coming out - will include a cover of "Friday.")

MONKEY BARS

What I remember: Remember being that one kid on the playground who couldn't do just one thing that came so easily to the other kids? For some people, it was those poles you could slide down (and I can sympathize; I was terrified of those when I was little, too). For some, it was those awkward circular thingies you had to climb up (you know what I mean, right? That big, spiral-shaped ladder?). And for some kids, like me, it was a major accomplishment if you could get across just two of those pesky monkey bars. The shorter you were - and I was definitely on the fun-sized side - the harder it was to get across without dropping the five feet to the ground. And when you're three feet tall, five feet is a long freakin' way down.

The teenage equivalent: That one game at the arcade that you can NEVER win, no matter how easily your friends nail it. It doesn't take much effort for anyone to kick my ass at Guitar Hero, arcade version or otherwise.

JET PACK PETS

What I remember: This was literally my favorite thing about the Disney Adventure magazines when I was a kid. Other kids went on and on about Spiderman and Superman, while I begged my parents for Disney magazines at the checkout line every month so I could see the Jet Pack Pets comics. (For anyone who has no idea what the heck I'm talking about...1) I feel sorry for you; you have missed out. 2) Here, see for yourself: Jet Pack Pets)

The teenage equivalent: Skelanimals. Without a doubt. Other teenage girls cover their binders with Hello Kitty stickers; I'm the geek with the Skelanimals notebook and folder containing all ten thousand of my Physics assignments.

HAPPY MEAL TOYS/DENTIST OFFICE TOYS/CEREAL TOYS

What I remember: I can't even count how many useless things I got from McDonald's. From the endless Disney objects obtained (it seemed like there were at least ten toys for every Disney movie released) to the plastic pieces of crap I got at the dentist's office and out of cereal boxes (what, exactly, is the purpose of a spoon that lights up when you eat your mini-wheats?), I think I have about five or six moving boxes' worth of useless little toys that I will never get rid of, but also never really played with in the first place.

The teenage equivalent: I think we still play around with those weird things that come out of cereal boxes (Indiana Jones spoon ring a bell?), even though we don't want to admit it.

THE AMANDA SHOW

What I remember: Even my dad got into this show - Amanda Bynes was just too freaking hilarious to ignore. There were so many characters on that show that it was pretty much impossible to not find one that you could identify with (although I hope to God that nobody could empathize with the Hillbilly Moment skit. Yes, even hillbillies...). For me, it was Penelope Taynt - "Amanda please!" - and if anyone remembers that character, try to picture a blonde version of that, replace the name "Amanda" with "Avril Lavigne," and you essentially have me at ten years old.

The teenage equivalent: I don't know what non-Interlochen students have to replace this show, but here it's definitely Coffeehouse. You have pretty much every group represented - even us awkward MPAs, writers, and VAs get in on the act.

LUNCHABLES

What I remember: They were absolutely AWFUL!!! I swear, I don't know why I always begged Mom to buy them for me, because literally all I ever ate out of those things was the little candy bar and the bottle of Hawaiian punch.

The teenage equivalent: School-provided bag lunches/breakfasts (seniors, remember the oozing peanut butter sandwiches from the bus ride to Mackinac Island?). They're about as diverse as cardboard, and about as tasty, too.

CHUCK E. CHEESE

What I remember: Holy crap, what DON'T I remember? The loud, blaring music, the screaming kids, the overpriced food, the crappy prizes (which should be lumped in with the Happy Meal toys, come to think of it), the weird games (why would anyone want to pour bees into a honey pot?), the complaining parents, the cheap thrill rides like that stupid pedal-powered helicopter, the random stage show...I could go on forever. I honestly don't remember what I loved about this place, except for the playscape...but I could've done that at McDonald's.

The teenage equivalent: Dave & Buster's. Imagine Chuck E. Cheese for those over thirteen, with much better food and much more interesting games. Of course, you still have to win about thirty billion tickets in order to get any prize more interesting than a plastic Slinky, but it's more fun to try winning these tickets because you don't have to pour bees into a plastic honey pot. Also, they have DDR, and that is awesome. Case closed.

KIM POSSIBLE

What I remember: Kim Possible was pretty much my middle school hero. Unlike the other Zoog Disney heroines (the name "Lizzie McGuire" sound familiar?), she actually DID things besides her hair and makeup. I loved seeing a teenage girl saving the world instead of mooning over her prom date (not that she didn't eventually do that, but still). That show had everything I loved - cool characters, funny dialogue, love-to-hate-'em villains, time travel, epic gadgets, and a naked mole rat named Rufus...what's not to love?

The teenage equivalent: Betty Suarez from Ugly Betty. While she might not have Kim Possible's kung-fu badassery or awesome hi-tech world-saving gear, she has something that not many other girls on TV have at this point - a down-to-earth, truly cool personality.

GLITTER MAKEUP

What I remember: These makeup kits were like feminized crack to me from the time I was about nine years old. They came in pink or purple cases and usually contained lip gloss, lipstick, eye shadow, body paint and body crayons, nail polish, lotion, and hair clips, and pretty much everything in the kit would be full of glitter. I would make myself up like a fourth-grade prostitute and then whine about how unfair it was that Mom would make me wash it all off before leaving the house.

The teenage equivalent: Guilty pleasure makeup, which for me equates to Bonne Bell Lip Smackers - I have like six flavors, including the pink lemonade clear lip gloss!

AMERICAN GIRL DOLLS

What I remember: These dolls were literally my life when I was a kid. I had the Just Like Me Bitty Baby doll, the limited edition Lindsay 2001 doll, and the Victorian Samantha doll, and a ton of clothes and accessories to go with them. I had the entire Samantha collection and the entire Lindsay collection. I had all the books, not just the books that went with my dolls, but all the books, including the American Girl Library "advice for girls" books. And I would spend hours dressing up, setting up, and making up stories about my dolls.

The teenage equivalent: Vermont Teddy Bears! There is somehow no shame in owning one of these epic little bears, especially if they've been sent by a loved one. I have one dressed in an apron, headband, whisk, and oven mitt from my aunt, and my roommate has one dressed in a bandage and cast from her best friend.

So MORP (a.k.a. Interlochen Prom) is a week away, and my checklist is nearly complete:

Dress (Check!)

Mask (Check...although I still have to fix it so the rhinestones don't fall off)

Jewelry (Check! AND it's Betsey Johnson!)

Shoes (no check...yet)

Ticket (Check!)

Table plan (Check!)

Makeup (Check!)

And now, after today...A DATE! (Checkcheckcheckcheck!!!!)

See, at Interlochen, people have no reservations about doing the weirdest, most theatrical things possible in order to ask their potential dates to MORP. So today, as I was walking to meet up with some friends, I saw a jousting match going on by my dorm. Naturally I was curious, so I went over and checked it out.

Here's the scoop: There were two guys, let's call them Dude and Bro, and Bro wanted to ask this girl, who we'll call Chica, to MORP. Well, he asked her in the most epic way ever, even by Interlochen standards - he had Dude challenge him to a "fight" over who was going to ask Chica to MORP, and when he "defeated" Dude, he had one of his friends use a bubble wand and violin music to "set the mood" before the lights in the Main Camp gazebo came on and he asked her. I don't know how she answered - some rumors say she said yes, some say she said no - but regardless of how she answered, you have to admit it was a kickass way of asking her.

So after I saw this I sulked a bit, because I was just a teensy bit jealous of Chica, who had two guys, one of whom was gay, fighting to decide who would go to MORP with her, and I couldn't even get any straight guys (one straight guy in particular) to ask me. I mentioned this to one of my gay guy friends while a straight guy friend was in earshot. Straight Guy Friend took this opportunity to ask me, in the softest, sweetest voice you could imagine, "Will you go to MORP with me?" to which I replied, shocked, "Are you serious?" When he confirmed that he was indeed serious, I immediately said yes.

So there you have it...Beatnik Belle has a date to MORP! A friend-date, yes, but a date nonetheless.

I have a date, and I have Nutella, and I have an awesome roommate. Life is good.

Shout-outs to Liz V. and Sarah B., my roommate and suitemate, for their epic senior recital earlier this evening! Extra shout-outs to Rachel G. and Erica C., who have senior recitals coming up - good luck you two! <3

The Checklist

Checklist before leaving for Thanksgiving Break:

1. Turn in lab report. (Check!)
2. Turn in reading response. (Check!)
3. Clean room. (Check!)
4. Pack. (Check!...sort of)
5. Say good-bye to Mishka and the Hottest Suitemates (Check!)
6. TURN EIGHTEEN! (CHECKCHECKCHECK!)

I had an AMAZING birthday! My parents came up and gave me like a thousand cupcakes to distribute to my friends and MPA classmates. I felt like a cupcake fairy all day! "Here...have one! They're yummy! They make everything better!" My mom makes a MEAN cupcake! ;)

I went to dinner tonight with my roommate and mom, we hung out in a hotel room with my dad and watched Pirates of the Caribbean, then us girls went to the mall and chilled for a while, and THEN I came back and walked around the cold (but very, VERY beautiful) Interlochen campus before coming back and helping clean up the lobby...fun times!

The Present Log for today: iTunes gift card and AmEx gift card (from my parents), colored pencils (from my awesomealistic roommate), Betsey Johnson necklace and matching bracelet (from my mom), Michael Jackson DVD (also from my mom).

Best moments of today: Mr. Nadji (Mr. Physics Teacher) giving me an animal cracker with a candle on top of it so I could make a birthday wish; entire MPA major singing happy birthday to me; dude I have a crush on literally RUNNING to me to give me a hug and wish me happy birthday; talking to Dad about the patheticness of sequels; CUPCAKES; huggles and birthday wishes from my best friends; collecting soooo much stolen dialogue; SEEING MY PARENTS; hanging out in the library with Mishka, Gus, and Ellie.


NANO UPDATE
Well, NaNo is going splendidly crappily. My plot changed (AGAIN), and between lovely college apps and homework it's looking very unlikely I will get 50,000 words by December. That said I will NOT give up on my novel, I love it. I just don't think I am going to win the NaNo this year. Maybe next year, I'll be able to do it since I'll already be IN college and won't have to apply anywhere.


I'll have a better post next time, I swear.

STOLEN DIALOGUE:

"I want my boyfriend to look like Hugh Jackman!"

Person one: Shall we count the number of times you used the F-word in that sentence?
Person two: No, Avery, we shall not.

Person one: No one's told you about Holiday Dinner?
Person two: No...
Person one: You are sadly uninformed.

Person one: Can you come over?
Person two: Yeah.
Person one: I'm warning you, I just had a Chem test. I'm going to be annoyed. I'm going to be an asshole.
Person two: I can be there in ten minutes.

Person one (quoting a comedian): Cocker poodle: Half poodle, half cocker spaniel, all bad idea.
Person two: Michael Jackson Fanfiction: Half Michael Jackson, half fanfiction, all bad idea.
Person three: Wait, there's MICHAEL JACKSON fanfiction? Isn't that blasphemy?

"Speaking of gay, are you free tonight? Wait, that came out wrong..."

Person one: One day, you need to politely tell your parents to bugger off.
Person two: I can't even tell YOU to bugger off, how can I tell that to my parents?
Person one: I'm just persuasive.

Person one: I'm going to be blunt...no, I'm not.
Person two: Oh, come on, be blunt, I'm used to it.
Person one: You are not! When am I blunt?
Person two: When are you NOT blunt?
Person one: Give me concrete examples!
Person two: "Direct me to the ass which needs kicking..."
Person one: That wasn't blunt.
Person two: "Tell your parents to bugger off..."
Person one: Okay, that WAS blunt.

Person one: He is as queer as a three-dollar bill.
Person two: I had a dream once that those existed!

Person one: Muchos nachos, muchacha! (Much nachos, woman!)
Person two: I should put you on speaker, so Liz can hear you speaking Spanish.
Person three: Oh, she speaks Spanish?
Person two: In the very loosest sense.

Person one: He was very confused about his sexuality last year.
Person two: That, and he wanted a snog.

Person one: So I was talking to Connor--
Person two: Ooh, he's a hunksicle!
Person one: What? No! He's, like, a cross between a teddy bear and an older brother!
Person two: No, he's a hunksicle!
Person one: No! A hunksicle would indicate that he's very good-looking and very cold!
Person two: He IS good-looking!
Person one: But he's warm! I hugged him earlier!
Person two: Oooooh!
Person one: Are you going to do this with every guy I mention?
Person two: Yes!
Person one: Gustavo! [name of gay dude]
Person two: [shuts up]

"There are more gay dudes here than pencil sharpeners!"

Person one: So I got called down to the desk and the counselor was like, "Your mom called, she said to make sure you work on your college applications today." SHOOT ME NOW.
Person two: Dear God in heaven...your mother needs a freaking house in Jamaica, with a lifetime supply of martinis...and maybe some Valium.
Person one: Agreed! WHYYYYY? Why does she do this to me?
Person two: Because she is in desperate need of either relaxation or a kick in the arse.
Person one. Or both.
Person two: That too.

Person one: I know I'm reasonably smart, but whenever I'm around you guys or Harry I feel exponentially less intelligent.
Person two: Was that a compliment?
Person three: Yeah, she was saying we're smart!
Person one: Uh, you guys ARE smart.
Person three: I don't know...after those auditions today, I feel like those actors think I'm the dumbest motherf**ker that ever lived!

NEXT UP: Thanksgiving Break! There WILL be a series post on this...I SWEAR. I don't know exactly how or what yet, but it WILL happen.

I've Got Fifteen Friends and a Crowbar that says You Ain't Gonna do Jack!

The friends are the cast and crew of Aaron T.'s epic thesis shoot, and the crowbar(s) are the epic faculty of the MPA department. And today, we did jack all right. We finished shooting Aaron's film today!

Now, this was the first time I've had an actual, official job on a thesis set. I was gripping, which for anyone who doesn't know means that I was essentially the gopher--as in, go-for; extension cables, lights, sandbags, and in one instance actors. I hauled around equipment, carried stuff to and from the mule (a.k.a. the equipment truck), helped set up lights, and most importantly (sarcasm hand raised) worked the fog machine.

For anyone who does not know, a fog machine is the devil's invention. A person thinks, "Oh, it's just haze. How bad can it be?" Oh, it's bad. It is very, very bad. It is enough to make a person cough, as several of us learned the hard way the past few days. It is enough to draw any oxygen out of the air and turn it into a faintly stinky gas that, trust me, no one really wants to breathe. And when you're using this invention in a huge room, it's bad enough. But when you use it in a tiny enclosed space--as we were doing today--it makes you want to scream...but you can't, because the scream will inevitably turn into a hacking cough.

In fact, it got so bad that at one point, I decided there was nothing better to do than joke about it. We were shooting a scene in which Logan's character is trying to pull Lucy out of a window. Lucky Logan was allowed to stay outside, with the nice breeze and the sunshine, while the rest of us sweated and coughed in that hazy, stifling basement. So between takes, I stood under the window, held up both hands as if pleading to be rescued, and said, "Logan! Help! Save me from the haze!" And to my great delight, Logan actually found this amusing.

Later on, someone had to enter the Room of Doom (a.k.a. said hazy, stifling basement) and I opened the door (which was locked from the outside) and greeted the newcomer with, "Welcome to our Inferno!" and earned myself more laughs from the cast and crew. Success again!

I like to think my joking and attempts to stay positive contributed to the good atmosphere of this shoot. Then again, I also like to think that the ghost of Jack Kerouac haunts this campus, so maybe my opinion doesn't really count. ;)

To Aaron T., I just wanna say, good job, man. I know I've said it a million times already, but trust me, you deserve to hear it a million more. I liked working for you and I liked it double because I was working my favorite job. Dude. Next year, if you need a grip on ANY shoot (and I mean class projects too, not just the big Thesis Film), I am there. I mean it.

To the cast (who probably don't follow this blog, but whatevs), a shout out for pure epicness. Helene and Ian, you were amazingly creepy. I can't wait to see a cut of this film and be scared out of my wits by the two of you (yes, that IS in fact a compliment). Lucy and Logan...wow. Wow, wow, wow. You were thrown around, pushed down, slid across rooms and shoved out windows. And then after all that, you both said, "Okay, what next?" PERFECTION. I hope that I get to work with you in the future (a.k.a. next Academy season...).

To the rest of the crew--THUMBS UP. Little complaining, lots of hard work and dedication. I think this is why gripping is my favorite part of MPA--it enables you to see what really goes into making a film, to observe the DP, AD, AC, Gaffer, Audio, and Continuity and realize that whether they're running around like headless chickens (which is, trust me, what Kylie [gaffer], Charlotte [audio], and I were doing today) or not, they still are working their asses off.

To me, THAT is what MPA is about. Working hard, sweating like a horse, losing sleep, freaking out, and loving every damn minute of it.

A few months ago I Facebooked, "It kind of just hit me that this really is "thesis season" and we're all gonna be insanely busy until May. We're going to unload and load the Mule every other day...spend hours revising scripts and treatments...stress about who will be our thesis advisor or on our crews...spend unlimited hours in the editing suites. All I have to say is, HELL YEAH. THIS is why I became an MPA. :)"

That still holds true. I don't care how hard this is. I am proud to be a filmmaker, and I am proud to be an Interlochen Motion Picture Arts major.


STOLEN DIALOGUE

"I'm not really in the habit of looking at people's bottoms."

[talking about school uniform]
Teacher: So, the physics teacher taught me to look at people's bottoms.
Student: Well, out of context, that's just wonderful...

[still talking about uniforms]
Teacher: Can you go find yourself some britches that aren’t jeans that are close enough to navy blue to be uniform?
Student: I can’t! All my blue pants are dirty!
Teacher: Well, you need navy blue britches. So go get yourself a pair. Borrow some, maybe?
Student: I can’t — dude, my friends are [Really Skinny Dude #1] and [Really Skinny Dude #2]! I can’t fit into their pants! I don’t know how they can fit into their pants!

"So today I realized there are directions on the side of Pop-Tart boxes. Dude, no person is stupid enough to need DIRECTIONS to eat a Pop-Tart. That's gotta be a misprint. Or, like, a really bad joke from the Pop-Tart company."

"I've been living with him for so long that everything sounds like sarcasm to me."

Person one: I'm going to go back to my dorm and sleep for a month.
Person two: Good idea, I think I'll join you.

"I think the main reason I've never done anything stupid is because I'm smart."

[seeing the effect of the fog machine for the first time]
"Oh my God...it's like The Mist in here!"

Person one: So we had a fog machine on set today.
Person two: Oh my God, did you die?
Person one: No, but I now have proof that my thesis advisor is insane.
Person two: Really? Why?
Person one: Because he ran around going, 'Oh my God, you have haze! That makes me so happy!' And he didn't seem to notice that we were asphyxiating.

[talking about riding on the back of the grip truck]
Person one: Can we ride?
Teacher: Well...
Person one: Dude, you would be the coolest teacher EVER!
Person two: Dude, he'd be the fired-est teacher ever.

Everything we know could change...will you remember my name?

There is a "syndrome" for every high school class except juniors and freshmen. The sophomore slump. The dreaded senioritis. And with boarding school, such as the one I attend now, there is the "freshman fifteen," but that doesn't really count seeing as most people here are first-years and get the "fifteen" whether they are freshmen or not.

So apparently, freshmen and juniors are perfect, while sophomores slump and seniors battle senioritis. Really? Dude, that's so whack.

Now, my freshman year was spent at home, doing online school. So I can't speak for the freshies, but trust me, NO year of high school is a picnic. And so today I shall talk about what faces every junior in every school...

I'm talking about when it just suddenly HITS YOU that your senior friends are GRADUATING. FOR REAL. And next year THEY WON'T BE HERE. They will be everywhere ranging from Ohio to fricking Europe. And chances are, you will never see some of these friends face-to-face again. And the worst part is, in the Interlochen case, you've only known some of these people for a year because they are first-year seniors or, in some cases, postgrads. And you love them--you really do--because somehow, here at Interlochen it is possible to love someone like they're your own sister or brother after only knowing them for seven months.

And of course the seniors are so happy to graduate they say things like, "Oh, it'll be okay, you'll still have [insert name of freshman, sophomore, or other junior here]." Or, "Maybe [insert name of senior here] will come back as a postgrad."

And the kicker comes most often from the adults in your life: "You can always make new friends."

At the risk of sounding like a little kid...

But they won't be the same!!!!!

Yes. I probably will make new friends. We all will make new friends. BUT THAT'S THE PROBLEM!!! No matter how many good friends I make, they will NEVER replace what I will lose at the end of this year.

Because you see, with close friends it's all about the, "do-you-remember-when."

"Seneca, do you rememver when you DPed my film and kept leaving the camera on at the worst--and by worst I really mean BEST--moments?"

"Josh, do you remember when we went to church together on the first weekend here?"

"Mishka, do you remember when you and Gus and I jumped into the snow by the Writing House?"

"Zac, do you remember trick-or-treating and the Halloween dance?"

"Andrew, do you remember rehearsing behind DeRoy and almost getting eaten by bugs?"

It goes on and on. I already miss them and they aren't even gone yet.

So I do what I can. For me, every day is "Hug-A-Senior" day. Every time I see one of my senior friends I stop what I'm doing and say hello and give them a hug. I plan to write "train letters" to my senior friends (camp alumni, you know what that is, right? Okay good). I make sure that anyone who I will not see next year knows that I love them and I will miss them.

I will get a webcam so I can Skype. I will write those letters and on graduation day, I will scream and cheer for every single friend, enemy, and unknown person who walks across that stage. I will savor every last moment of this year. And next year, I will kick ass in the name of every senior friend who has gone out into the world.



In place of stolen dialogue tonight: A few shout-outs to the seniors/postgrads who made this year memorable--

Josh A.
Zac C.
Mishka H.
Andrew W.
Seneca S.
Tressa G.
Jake F.
Beltran D.C.
Joshua E.
Isabella M.
Patrick C.
Paul M.
Jesse L.
Kimmy A.
Robyn L.
Jess N.
Erin F.
Connor S.
Graeme F.
Malcolm K.
Johnny M.
Rachel T.


I LOVE YOU GUYS. I WISH YOU LUCK AS YOU ALL GO INTO THE WORLD AND KICK ASS AT WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE TO DO!!!!! <3 <3 <3 <3

The REAL Academy Awards - Interlochen Academy, that is!

The deadline is upon us! With most people scriptlocked (that is, finished writing their scripts), two or three auditions at a time, and two shoots per week--not to mention permanently-occupied edit suites--it's getting crazy at the DeRoy Center for Film Studies. All I have to say is, holy crap. This place just gets more epic by the day.

I am now presenting to you the top ten best DeRoy moments ever. Or the best MPA moments ever; whatevs. You all know what I mean. (And, hopefully, WHO I mean.)

10. I don't know why I remember this so much, but I do: Whilst sitting with two friends and prepping for a presentation on Neutral Density Filters (fascinating, I know), one of said friends complains that nothing ever happens in our department. At the precise moment she says this, two other MPAs rip through the commons, one of them holding a steadicam that he only just managed to fix, both of them yelling something about MTV Cribs and turning the place from a silent study hall into a laughing mass of what the hell! If that wasn't enough reason for me to love being an MPA, what is?

9. Seeing a certain male MPA doing a damn good impression of our epic department head while acting in my one-minute short. I'm so glad I got that close-up!

8. Advanced Lighting Class, see if you recall THIS: 1) Mad Hatter Hat, 2) Paul missing one arm, 3) improvised dialogue that was so out there we almost didn't even let Michael hear it. Do you remember cracking up here? Because I sure do...

7. While 3 MPA girls are practicing their Coffehouse dance in the DeRoy commons after class, our teacher walks by and, with a chuckle, remarks, "The Interlochen MPAs are hard at work."

6. Directing Class: Two words for you--"Shocked Posse." You know who you are. I hope that isn't a reference to some movie or something, I reeeeally hope our directing teacher just came up with that...that's just super epic.

5. MWK and CB reading the parts of "aliens" in my screenplay during a workshop. I hate that I eventually took the aliens out, but you know what, at least I have the memory of those two reading the alien lines.

4. Watching the crew for the very latest thesis film (legit...it's being shot as I type this!) duct-taping a wad of plastic bags and other materials to the lead actor's (who just so happens to also be an MPA) belly in an attempt to simulate pregnancy. Along with seeing said actor walking around the soundstage and chuckling about not having to load the grip truck like the rest of us. This was of course followed by Alien references. Because apparently, no pregnancy-themed movie or TV show can be filmed without references to Alien. It just can't happen.

3. Okay...this is a really personal one...but the first time this year we all loaded the grip truck together...it was just epic...it just screamed, We are a team! I know, I know...I'm a geek. But really, you just had to be there. It was awesome.

2. For Directing Class students, see if this sounds familiar:

"And then we have the Hal's Liquor Store sign...as drawn by Hal's child!"

"Malcolm, I know you're cold, but come on, you've gotta look angry."

"Damn sh**in' soda can!"

"That's...not very productive."

There's plenty more that would involve waaaay too much explanation. Let's just say, that was hands-down the best class of the first semester. (And combining it with Intro to Production was GENIUS!)

1. Okay. For me, the #1 best MPA moment of this year was riiiiight at the beginning of the semester...before classes had even STARTED...and I think there were a few theater majors there as well as MPAs...but anyway, there were about ten of us sitting upstairs in the DeRoy girls' lobby, eating Goldfish and Oreos, and just being generally insane...I remember mentally dubbing one of my new friends "Captain Come-On" because no matter what situation you mentioned (Home Depot, train wreck, waiting room, ect.) he could come up with fifty pickup lines that could be used in that situation. (Don't worry, I've never actually called him that.) This, like the grip truck thing, really made me see how close we could get...and keep in mind, this was the first weekend of the year!

MPAs, if you read this, what's YOUR #1 MPA moment? Tell me, pretty please?


STOLEN DIALOGUE:

"All my friends have paired off! I have sixteen close friends and they're all couples! So, today when I went to lunch to eat with them, it wasn't like sixteen individual people so much as eight two-headed people!"

"This here is what we in the business call a total f***ing disaster. I'll bring the doughnuts, you bring 2012 and I Am Legend, and we'll make a party of it."

Person 1: "How am I gonna keep my job at Chuck E. Cheese if I'm a pregnant man?"
Person 2: "The question is, how are you gonna keep the government from doing fertility experiments on you if you're a pregnant man?"
Person 1: "...Shut up, Avery."
(Haha, don't worry, he wasn't actually pregnant...this was just a very, VERY weird day.)

"Listen to what we're having for dinner: 'Irish' chicken nuggets, 'Irish' soy nuggets, 'Irish' macaroni and cheese. Let me ask you, how do you make chicken nuggets 'Irish'? Maybe they'll just, like, dye it green..."

Person 1: "Has anyone seen Elvis [sock puppet]?"
Person 2: "I'm sorry, he's left the building."

[while gesturing to the place where our teachers usually stand during MPA forum] "Has anyone else noticed the suspicious lack of teachers in this general area?"

Person 1: "Well, you and I are friends, right? And I'm SURE there've been times when you've wanted to throw something at me."
Person 2: "No comment."

"I'm so sick of zombies! Everywhere I go people are talking about stupid zombies eating their stupid brains and infecting people with their stupid zombie powers! CAN WE SHUT UP ABOUT THE ZOMBIES ALREADY?! Why not talk about vampires? Or...I don't know...the square root of pi? Anything but zombies!"
[P.S.: To the person who said this (you know who you are), you are now my new best friend.]

"If you cut your hair, I will force you to go to Indiana. I mean it."

"Felix, every time you do that I will sing one verse of a Tokio Hotel song. In German."

"Malcolm..." [gets down on one knee] "Will you be my gay lover?"
(You kind of had to be there to get this one...just fyi, I was trying to convince this one guy to audition for my movie, another dude who had already agreed to audition and just so happened to be good friends with the other dude was in the vicinity, and boom...instant stolen dialogue.)


That is it for this post. I'm getting busier as the weeks go on...let's hope I have time to post again before April!

The Secret to Surviving "Winterlochen"

Ah, Northern Michigan winters--nothing like them! First, you freeze to death in weather that is so cold that it doesn't even snow, and you literally cannot breathe when you're outside becuase it is so damn cold. And then you get BURIED in snow and start to wish that the breathtaking cold would come back. And then you get two or three nice, warm--"warm" meaning somewhere between thirty and forty degrees--days, and you start to think, "Okay, this isn't so bad, I can deal, if it just stays like this." But it doesn't! Three nice days, and then, BAM! Winter socks you in the gut like Jack Dempsey.

And then, to put a few sprinkles on this lovely sundae (get it? Sundae? Ice cream? Cold? Meh, forget it), it rains. And everything freezes on the ground, and you skid on ice every time you try to walk to class. And did I mention that it is FREEZING?! There's piles of dirty, renegade snow EVERYWHERE, there's a few solid inches of ice on the ground, there's CLEAN snow which falls every other week or so and makes you long for the rain and ice again, and there's this nice little chill that cannot be blocked even by a down coat.

But it gets even better! At Interlochen there's this thing called the "concourse," which houses all the classrooms. It is one long hallway, with small buildings attached called "rotundas." (Sooner or later I'll do an Interlochen Dictionary post, don't worry. You WILL know what all these words mean eventually, I promise.) And when you walk down this hallway, you get sweaty because you have to walk FAST, due to there being ten minutes between classes and one of your classes (if your luck is anything like mine) is at the opposite end of campus from your NEXT class and you have to rival Jesse Owens to get there on time. So you get sweaty and you leave your coat unbuttoned when you go outside and...well, you know what happens next.

Frostbite, anyone?

And let's not forget the food issue! You know how in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl states that something about cold weather makes people hungrier? (And no, mom, I do NOT want to know the scientific reason for that. (; ) So yes, after a hard day of classes and practices and screenwriting and playwriting and history tests and stress tests and composing music and composing functions, we're all hungry enough to eat a cow. So we go to the cafeteria...where Death awaits us in the form of overcooked salmon. Yum. And the alternative? Go spend ten bucks at the cafe for bad fries and crappy ice cream. Or order a hamburger from Bud's, which I am not as of yet brave enough to do. No wonder the motto for stone is, "Stone Cafeteria: Where the starving artists of tomorrow begin starving today."

And of course there's the fun of the clothes! Honestly, tights or no tights, I will never understand how some of you brave girls can wear skirts in this weather. I freeze my ass off with long pants and kneesocks, and some days I actually wear long johns beneath my pants, so how in the heck you can stand to walk around in a skirt and pantyhose is something beyond my level of comprehension. Then again I've been gawked at for going hatless, so maybe I can't talk. All I know is, without a coat, long pants, boots, kneesocks, and a pair of gloves, I'm useless in the cold.

So what does all this add up to? One very freaking long winter. (Daddy, do you remember reading The Long Winter when I was in sixth grade? Say yes, dang it!) But don't worry. I've found the secret to surviving the Interlochen Winter (or Winterlochen, as I've heard it called). Here it is, in three parts:

First of all. BE HAPPY. I can't stress this enough. If you mope through winter, you will be bushwhacked the second November 1st rolls around. Don't believe me? Well, think about this: I went out on a shoot with my fellow MPAs shortly after Halloween. It was a nice, clear, sunny day...and the temperature was enough to make one believe that Hell had literally frozen over. I swear to God there was FROST on the grass. There were actually people whose job was to run blankets out to the freezing actors (it was a baseball movie).

Anyway, I'm digressing. The point is, BE HAPPY. Don't let Winterlochen kick your ass with its icy gloominess. The sadder you get, the harder it is to pull through the looooong winter months. So do yourself a favor. Go to the dances. Go to Coffeehouse. Watch the Olympics and laugh when the media makes a big deal about a snowboarder's coach letting out a few f-bombs. Read silly blogs on the internet. (Mine notwithstanding (; ) Watch silly crap on YouTube (but keep it G-rated, please; we don't want any Porn Infractions).

Some things to bust the Winterlochen Blahs:

http://community.sparknotes.com/index.php/2009/07/16/blogging-twilight-index-page/
If you love Twilight and take it seriously, or if you are Team Edward, stay away. However, if you are like me and take the whole thing as light entertainment, you will love this. You will laugh. Hard.

http://aaronrgillespie.tumblr.com/
This is Aaron Gillespie's (The Almost; UnderOath) blog about food. It's more interesting than it sounds. Trust me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9va1wVNizE
TRY to watch this without laughing, or at least smirking and rolling your eyes. It can't be done.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxLT98chljg
Maybe I'm just biased because they're my favorite band...but the beginning of this interview cracks me up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUnRAqEEVWQ&feature=PlayList&p=C45ACB753D9BC89B&index=2
This is self-explanatory. Just watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNSdBLYXJD4
If this doesn't crack you up, you are officially NOT HUMAN. And no, you do NOT have to be into zombies to like this short film. (On that note, what is it with us Interlochen people and zombies? Seriously! I think we've all watched the "Thriller" video one too many times...)

Second. Remember that artistic reason you came here? MPAs, make some indie shorts!(And then post them on YouTube or facebook so we can all share the laughs!) Creative writers, crank out some fiction! (Or poetry, if you'd rather do that.) Musicians, hold random jam sessions in the rotundas! Visual artists, show off with your snow sculptures! (So far this year, I've seen the Loch Ness Monster, some Igloos, a lion, and my personal favorite, a large toadstool.) There's a reason that young artists come here, and it sure as heck isn't for the brilliant weather. We are CREATIVE! If we can't figure out a way to beat this winter cruddiness...well...who can?

Third--possibly most important--RELY ON YOUR FRIENDS. There is a reason that Mr. Film Teacher tells us after we come back from breaks to look after each other. (Motion Picture Artists, you know what I'm talking about, right?) The people in your dorm, your major, your classes, and even people whom you would never see if you didn't make the effor to seek them out will help you more than anything you're told to do by the Health Services people. Seriously, without my friends I would've gone bug-nuts crazy by now. Friends provide entertainment, stress relief, hugs, companionship, love, and most importantly, support. If you don't trust them...excuse the cliche...who can you trust to get you through the horror that is a North Michigan winter?

So there you have it. The secret to surviving "Winterlochen." (Am I even using that in the correct context?) You're welcome. :)



STOLEN DIALOGUE TIME!!!!!

"I sound like a Wookie on helium!"

"That there's what we call an inside joke."

"Did you eat a bowl of unoriginal for breakfast?"

"No. No, no, no. This is an ALICE IN WONDERLAND prom, not a LET'S SHOW OFF NINETY PERCENT OF OUR SKIN prom. You can't wear that dress. People will think you're confused about the theme."

"Let's not tell Mr. Wescott that none of us did our homework, okay? We'll just say something we got off Sparknotes; he won't know the difference."

"I Facebooked the crap out of him! No--I did not STALK him. I FACEBOOKED him. There's a difference."

"You know what would be really interesting? If he fell into a sand pit full of rabid Miley Cyrus fans. That would be fun."

"Hey, guys, I've got an idea. Let's have a revolution!"

"Some people are born to be wild...some people are born to be artists...he was born to be unprofessional."

"This just bypasses all normal levels of awkward. This is so much awkward it's practically coming out your ears. You are unnaturally full of awkward. Instead of the date-rape drug, someone poisoned your drink with a whole lot of awkward."

Person one: "Can you just shoot me please?"
Person two: "No, but I can dismember you and flush the pieces down the toilet."
Person one: "Okay, that works."

"That door has issues. That door is being a...Doork. Sorry, SOMEONE had to say that."

"Oh great. This table is chairless, and THAT table has more chairs than it knows what to do with. That table is Napoleon's army marching in to invade Russia, and this table is Napoleon's army marchinng OUT of Russia, minus ninety percent of his army."