inspiration

I've been quite inspired recently.

Obviously.

Seeing as I finally got around to posting on here, something must have changed.

Maybe because the school year has started, bringing responsibility and schedule. I don't feel like that is the reason, simply because my Senior year hit me up out of the blue. I knew it was coming, but forgot, kept it at bay.

My summer was perfect. I slept and snoozed and napped and ate and swam and partied and rocked out and laughed and goofed and fooled around and watched television and practically lived at my friend's house. It was just what I needed.

But August came anyway. It does that, doesn't it?

And I was glad. Don't get me wrong. I want change. I like change. I need change. But I was also scared. I mean, who isn't when their Senior year rolls around? Sure I'm excited! I see the opportunities and also the end.

So August was a month of guessing for me. Should I be focused? Colleges? Be lazy or productive? *sigh*

Slowly, THINGS started happening.

My sister left for college. It made me think.

I was cast as the titular character in our drama club's fall play.

I finally began dance classes.

My friend KeKeJ came to visit.

And when THINGS happen to me, I make other THINGS happen. It's a cycle. Laziness leads to more laziness and productivity to more productivity. I may not have appeared to have been particularly productive these last few weeks, but believe me, it's all building up in me. The inspiration. I'm about to let loose.

Take dance, for example. I've been wanting to dance since I saw a clogging troupe at an amusement park when I was four or something. Then, seeing Singin' in the Rain sealed the deal. I wanted to move like that, to become part of a song. For various reasons, I couldn't and didn't. I took a two-month clogging class with my sister, mother, grandmother, and a bunch of other grandmothers a couple of years ago, but that didn't fulfill the need inside me.

This last summer I began an adult ballet class with my mother. It was hard. I almost cried each week because I was so far behind. I didn't know any of the steps, steps which were, I might add, in French; I couldn't even touch my toes. I improved hugely over the summer; how could I not?

Three weeks ago, continuing with ballet, I began jazz and tap. This is a class for 12 - 18 yr olds. I am one of the oldest, but still having a ball. Some of the girls are divas and some don't even try. I just soak up as much information as I can and have as much fun as I can. It helped a lot that the song for our first combination was Hurricane by Panic! at the Disco, one of my favorites.

Since beginning, I have stretched like crazy. Almost every day you can find me in my room, sweating in my Spanx. I went from not being able to touch my toes while sitting down (16 days ago) to touching my face to my knees in the same position (as of today). It's hard, but seeing progress is incredibly encouraging. I will definitely be the most improved in my class.

So how else have I been inspired? Would you believe it if I said the internet? Yes, you probably would, since you're reading my blog and most likely frequent the glorious, if screwed up, place we call the internet.

I see, hear about, learn about, watch, listen to, participate with, laugh at, cry at, think about, and look at interesting people and things on the internet all the time. The people in my fandoms are smart and make good artwork.

It's difficult to explain, but sometimes, the tapestry of life (super original metaphor, I know) is just so beautiful that it blows me away. Strings of my life come together in such an amazing way every now and then, and just... inspire me.

One could ask, "what do Princess Mononoke, jazz shoes, and lions have in common?" and the answer would be ME.

What inspires you?

Night Photoshoot with Minion

 I had Katie over to spend the night and do some photo-shooting! Credits to her and me. Editing credits to her. Peace!

 Us chicas having fun

 Hey look there's a camera up there! *typing without looking because I'm watching Full House*

 Isn't she gorgeous!? Look at those eyes!!

 Katie didn't want to take the time to take a picture of this beautiful, fragile egg shell. She mostly wanted to squish it. "I shall call it Squishy, and it shall be mine...and it shall be my Squishy."

 If you look really close, you can see a demon rabbit. With fangs.

 Whoa I'm a floating astronaut trippy babe!

 Teehee!

 For some reason this looks like it was taken, intending it to look like it was some drunken party. Do you get that feeling? I don't know why. It's chute doe!

 Slow shutter speed for the win. It's a musical note!

 Haha see her gum?? Nasty ew.

 And yes that shirt DOES have fringe ALL over it! I'm a flapper!

So there we go! It was a lot of fun, but we both got so bug-bitten! I've been itching for days. This was one of our more typical sleepovers. You can see pictures from an odder (that's not a word) one next time. We also laughed and yelled "bottom" and gossiped and snapchatted peoples and flooded peoples' inboxes til 3 in the morning. Then we slept in a crib of pillows and blankets. So that was fun!

The two of us together are like flame and gasoline because we are so explosive together.

~billyBobjoe

HASHTAG SUMMER

Katie = Minion

appalachian wine and prom

Those two things are not really related, just the two things that are on my mind right now! Haha don't worry!

This is a song that I absolutely love.

"They both met in the midnight sky
Got lost in each other's eyes
Then threw away the map
And lost the key

God sent them their first two kids
One named Fire the other one Wind
With a note that floated down
For them to read

It said 'You asked what it was like up here for Me'

(chorus)
Mother Earth and Father Time
Fell in love over Appalachian Wine
Hit a rough spell and almost lost their mind
Raised a little hell before they fell in line

Fire came out with a restless soul
It only got worse as he got older
'Til finally he got
Too hot to tame

Time said, 'Son, I know it's hard,
But you're breaking your mama's heart'
And Fire looked up through tears
That made the rain

He said 'Why is it everything I love I set aflame?'

(chorus)

Wind was born to the open sky
With a bad temper and a wandering eye
That kept him on the run
For most his days

Earth said, 'Listen, hear my child,
See, I used to run that wild,
'Cause it's hard to put a finger on the pain
But Son you can't outrun a thing like shame'

Then Time and Earth got on their knees
And prayed, 'Dear God, oh can't you see?
The Fire's too hot, the Wind's too cold
And loving them is gonna kill us both'

Then God reached down and took their hands
Dried their tears and smiled and said
'That's kinda what it's like up here for me,
Yeah, lovin' them'll cost you everything'

(chorus)

Appalachian Wine - Eleventyseven

So, Prom's tomorrow! I'm super excited! I'm going with my friend Matthew Snook and we are going to have a ball. I promise pictures of us and me and my dress and everything! Today I got my braces changed from green to blue because green braces with a blue, black, and white dress is a no-no. I got bling and a purse and I'm going full-out girly freakout! I'm so excited! Wanna bet how long I keep the heels on? It won't be long I know. I know you don't want to read anymore of this, so I'll be off, but I'll be back with pictures soon!

And bee tee dubs I'm going to Hawaii in a month!!!

K, peace out. billyBobjoe

Babel and Sherlock

Oh my gosh! I'm one composition away from being caught up in school for the first time this semestre! It's such a freeing thought. I can't wait for summer though.

Tonight I'm going to the State Championship game that a lot of my guy friends are playing/going to win in! We're gonna have the hugest, most loud and awesome, student section ever!

I'm listening to Babel by Mumford & Sons for the first time. It is so good. I love the sound of their songs in my ears. I never intentionally learned the words to the songs on Sigh No More, just listened to it on repeat while doing math. That's probably how I learn lyrics best anyway.

While I am not in the slightest Catholic, I gave up something for Lent this year. Guess what. Yep, Temple Run 2. Isn't that awful?? That just goes to show you how addicted I am! So, no more TR2 for me for a while. People think it's funny, but it really was taking up a lot of my time.

My big sister Cadenza is coming home tomorrow! She's been nannying MKs for 6 months and I miss her like crazy. Hopefully all her international flights and stuff work out well.

And guess what! Oh mi gaaaash! *prepare for epic fangirling* SHERLOCK! It is perfect and wonderful and perfect. And Benedict Cumperfection? I mean, Cumberbatch. *sigh* And now we get more Hobbit and Star Trek, so that's good. I'm going to die, just look at him!

This is him and Martin Freeman being amazing and classy. They have great chemistry too.

This is his Everyone Be Quiet So I Can Deduce face. He's so darn irritable, but just like the stories.

This is his I Just Deduced Something So Marvelous That You Never Would've Gotten It On Your Own face.

So that's the update! Also, be warned, that was MINOR fangirling. I was literally ASDFGHJKL-ing the other day. :D

billyBobjoe

PS - And now that I've finished writing this I am officially finished with school! kthxbi

shells and tropics

Sometimes I get so drained that I feel like just a shell. At least I'm supposed to be eating a ton, so I'm not guilty about the giant snack and Tropical Smoothie Cafe...

Things get so often described as being like the "eye of the storm", but I'm here telling you that I'm at the stormiest part, but where you can see the sun peeking out in the distance. I just have to press through to that point. I keep realizing that it will get worse, then it will get better. I'm not grumbling, just thinking and reminding myself.

It's like I know what to do, just won't bring myself to do it. It's dumb.

Well, enough of that. This is my 75th post! *rejoicing*

listening: Oh! Darling by: The Beatles

reading: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by: Stevenson. This is a re-read for school.

minimalist posters (part 2)

Here's part 2! These are the posters from musicals.

Aren't those fun? I saw that last one, then was like, "hmm.....OH! It's an umbrella!"

Favorites?

~bBj

PS I love movies.

ink and a new shirt

So, I got some new clothes the other day. I needed some new jeans that would fit until I could gain weight and wear my old ones. I got some bootcut and skinnies. Don't worry, Dad, they aren't THAT skinny! I also got a red-plaid flannel shirt. You can't have too many of those! I also got a shortsleeved hoodie that you will see below. I love it and how unique it is.

Hey look! I took pictures of the stuff I drew on myself and here they are. A keyhole on my wrist and birds on the underside of my wrist.

I also wrote "Lions make you brave" on the inside of my left bicep, not that I have much of one and drew a moon on one foot and the sun on the other. It's from the song Lions! by Lights. Very encouraging to me. I just have felt so quirky lately. If hats weren't allowed at ye olde Comm. Central, I would have totally worn my bowler with that shirt this morning. People always ask about my "tattoos" when I draw on myself. I find it pretty funny actually! A lady in B&N in California asked if "it hurt". I was like "whaaat? Oh that? Totally. The pain was immense." Then I walked away like a boss. She must've known that I was kidding though.

Anywho, just felt like sharing that random bit of bBj! Here's to beautiful symbols like the moon and birds.

~Bobbie

Things that don't change and the new EP

braces

acne

friendships

the desire to communicate with them all the time, be it with calls or texting.

school, namely geometry

music

saying goodbye

excitement about summer and vacations

I know I didn't hit them all, but these are the ones that I'm dealing with! Yes, braces hurt. Did anyone ask? Don't care, still told you! And they're purple. I have already disobedied the orthodontist! They said to only eat one chip at a time, and I put two in my mouth at one time like a baus! It wasn't that exciting, and it kind of hurt. I've also been eating a ton of marshmallows...but I bet you really don't care about how I've kept alive since getting a mouthful of metal.

Well, I'm super excited about that down there! Any new music of his is welcome. I've actually not heard them all yet, but I will soon. Thanks Adam for giving me inspiration and optimism!

So that's what's up. I'm currently in the middle of Wuthering Heights, which is really good, and Paralandra, also very good. Former by Charlotte Bronte and latter by C.S. Lewis. It had been told me that I would most likely like Paralandra better than Out of the Silent Planet, but so far I have not. If you haven't read The Space Trilogy, do so now! I suggest other Lewis books first, but if you have any questions, just ask!

How I Became the Sea - Owl City

bBj, who's "leeeaaavin' on a jet plane".... *loud singing*

we love you, Conrad!

Oh yes, we do! I just got back from the opening night of Bye Bye Birdie, which was fantomigorical!
I'm exhausted. I'm happy. I can't wait to perform it again and again. I'll be back next year if at all possible!

My mind is full of choreo, leather jackets, pineapples, quick changes, and laughter. You ought to be jealous.

Happy Star Wars Day! May the Fourth be with you, but watch out for tomorrow. It's the Revenge of the Fifth!

~Deborah Sue

PS Avengers assemble! There was no way that I could make it last night, so I'll go see it next weekend. If you spoil it for me, you die... a long, slow, deathly death.

funky colors and happy tears

So, I noticed that it's almost February, which shouldn't come as a surprise. It always comes right after January.

I went back and read my list of things to accomplish and things that I was excited about for 2012 a while ago because I want to keep them fresh in my mind. I might do that at the beginning of each month to see progress. Being on January, I haven't done any yet, but am closer to most of them! Except a job. I still really need a job, so I can have money, so I can spend it. *smirk*

If you remember, one of my resolutions, actually, the only one, was to drink a water bottle every day. I have so far, and am enjoying its good effects!

I also wanted to learn guitar.

I know a few chords and my fingers are getting a little bit calloused. No one would be able to tell but me, because I am trying to feel them! They hurt like billy-oh!

I also want to dye my hair a "funky color"!

Not all over! Heaven forbid. I know a few people, mainly in my family, *coughcoughparentscough* who would turn over in their...*thinks* beds? It wouldn't be acceptable, and I don't want to anyway. All that to say, I want to dye a very small part of it blue or purple or both. What do you think?

Thanks to Anna, I've already done this one! Oh heavens. *chuckles to myself because I know that whatever we were laughing about would make no sense to anyone else*

This one is coming up rapidly, which excites me a lot! w00t! Have you read them? Will you be going to the midnight showing?

bBj bids you farewell until next post

PS I found my ring! Yeah, the one that you didn't know existed or that I had lost a week after buying. I'm just happy about that!

Oh, I also watched this!

So good! It was my first Johnny Depp, with him playing a relatively normal character!

Ok, I'm gone for real now.

Bye Bye Birdie

I know I have mentioned it, but in case you didn't know, I am taking part in a production of Bye Bye Birdie. It is with our homeschool group Cast N Crew, and I have done one play with them in the past. We did Annie the musical last sping, and I am proud to say that two of my sisters got large roles, and I got a bit part. Don't feel sorry for me, I didn't want a singing role.

Now, I can sing, but I was afraid that I would be scared to sing in front of people when the time came.

That was not the case at all. I realized that after the four months of rehearsing, I knew the songs, choreography, and lines backward and forward, so why be scared? The director kept telling everyone to smile and put a lot of energy into the songs, but she never had to tell me! I was absolutely beaming the whole time I was onstage. I couldn't figure out why everyone else was not, I mean, I was having the time of my life! Why in the world are they doing drama if they aren't having fun onstage? Golly. Also, you know all the people that you are performing with, and have spent a lot of time with them by that point. Everyone sees you mess up during rehearsals, so you get that out of your system.

So, I decided that I wanted a singing part in Bye Bye Birdie, which is a play set in the 1950s, one of my favorites time periods, about a rock star. It is a satire on teenage idolization of rock stars, like Elvis. Conrad Birdie, the rock star, is based loosely off of Elvis, and more so off of Conway Twitty, who was one of Elvis' biggest rivals in the early days of their carreers. Elvis was drafted to go into the army, and this play is about Conrad giving one last kiss goodbye to one of his biggest fans before he leaves. It's a publicity stunt that his manager, Albert, who is really the star of the show, comes up with.

The play is hilarious! I find most of the songs very sarcastic, which is fun to do, mostly because we can't act in a sarcastic way, but have to show the audience hwo wrong everything is. For example, one of Conrad Birdie's biggest numbers is called Honestly Sincere, which is grossly funny because he is totally fake!

After much description... I got the part of Debra Sue, who is one of Kim's best friends. Kim is the girl that is chosen to receive Birdie's last kiss. As I see parts of the script, I now know that I am in more scenes that I realized at first, which is pretty cool. We have only had two weeks of rehearsals, which means about four so far.

I'm having a lot of fun, and getting to know new people! Updates will be coming.

By the way, don't watch the movie! It is absolutely nothing like the play at all! Listen/watch parts on YouTube, and you'll see why I can't help but smile!

~Debra Sue

Concert

I went to the symphony last night. That's the kind of person I am. And it was amazing!

They played only John Williams!

 and I went as a Jedi, of course.

That's phenomenal.

...We heard...

Superman March

Suite from Jaws



Schindler's List

Star Wars Suite
I. Main Title
II. Princess Leia's Theme
III. The Imperial March

Excerpts from Fiddler on the Roof

Olympic Fanfare and Theme

The Mission Theme (from NBC News)

Raiders March

Theme from Jurassic Park