Wednesday 21 November 2012

Serendipity In A Transitional Period

  So, currently I'm sitting in the classroom where my period 4 bio class usually takes place, next to my girlfriend and pondering the reality of everything. I've never felt so alive and I've never been more scared in my entire life! Don't get me wrong, I'm not scared because things aren't going as I desired, in fact, it's the complete opposite; this could easily be the best time of my young life! Like I said, I've never felt so alive...so vulnerable yet so adventurous; my future is lining up quite nicely. That being said, there will always be struggles and not everything will come to me as quickly as I may want it to but, nonetheless, I can rest easy in the reassuring eyes of Charlotte, the therapeutic and creative processes of my writing (and hold onto that cause I'll be discussing it after this), and the academic path I pave as I weave my way towards the end of high school, which is actually not that far away... Holy hell...

  Anyways, moving on, November is national novel writing month and I, along with my friend Sharon and my girlfriend Charlotte, are participating! I'm excited to say that I'm already 15018 words into my novel and I look forward to writing more. On that topic, I gave what I have of my novel to my environmental science teacher, Mr. Meyer, and he's going to give it a read and then show it to his daughter, who's a working actress in Toronto and who enjoys writing screenplays; if she likes it, he'll bring her in to sit down and talk with me about the project... who knows, I might be the next Mark Millar when it comes to writing (*cough*Kick-Ass *cough*). It's a great opportunity to share my work with a fellow writer and see what fresh, new angle she can bring to it (if she likes it that is). If you'd like to know more about my novel, I encourage you to head on over to my page on nanowrimo.org and check it out (although you'll have to make your own account if you want to see mine):


  I suppose saying it's been a crazy start to the year would be an understatement; there's been a mix of good and bad, but the good things look like they'll ultimately outweigh the bad, in the end. Even in the face of any possible negativity, I know how to find the good in things, no matter how silly I may sound doing it; it's something I've always done; it's just the kind of person I am and I can't help it... Alas, I am also a hypocrite in this sense though; I am a very emotional person and am saddened easily (but it seems rather random...the tiniest things that are beyond my control or prevention; or, simply, because of how much I've seen happen in the past year). Luckily though, I have been given reason not to be sad now that I am with Charlotte... maybe because I have less time to be alone and think about sad stuff. Jeez... It's only now that I finally realize how depressing I truly was for a few months there; from the end of July through September, I really just didn't know where anything was going anymore. I'm happy though. Happy because I have my first (and hopefully last and only) true love (and she feels the same way. Hi, Blog-i-sphere :) - Charlotte). 

  On a slightly related note, Charlotte and I saw the film Cloud Atlas (based on the book by David Mitchell) and I must say... It was simply superb! Everything about this film is truly astounding, with amazing performances from every actor and actress. Anyways, I won't get into it too much, as I plan on reviewing that film, and Skyfall, in a separate post. I have to sign off now, as I just picked this entry up after leaving it as a draft for about a week (my bad); I will return to write my reviews and maybe some extra entries later this week (probably the weekend). This is the Fro, signing off! Stay Classy, dear readers.

- Btw, if you haven't seen it yet, watch the new GTA V trailer. You won't be sorry...


Tuesday 9 October 2012

Feels Like A Monday

 So, today I'm sitting in Computer Programming and just chillin' and doing my work (mostly) as I usually do and I just thought I'd write a quick blog entry. Even though my friend Sara occassionally peeks at my screen, my other friend Jesse comments random nonsense from time-to-time, and my gorgeous girlfriend texts me about how I should write a whole entry about her, I continue to write in the hope that I can say something worth value at some point. Nonetheless, this entry was never intended to be much more than a simple update: the Thanksgiving weekend just ended and I'm feeling a little weary about what I may have missed in Biology class on Friday (as I was co-leading in the annual Raider Games with my girlfriend). Anyways, I just thought I'd write something quick. Now, back to Programming!





Sunday 30 September 2012

Shades

 Green Eyes

 Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, I have a new girlfriend!!!!! Yes, that's right, your's truly has finally found someone who he can talk to and be with almost everyday; she makes me extremely happy and I'm so glad that I got to know her better over these last few days... I never wanna let go of her. Her name is Charlotte. So, my dear reader,  this means you won't have to read about my precarious infatuation with Hazel or my constant pursuit of Emma Heidenheim's attention anymore. To be completely honest, she makes me completely forget and erases the feelings I had for those two long ago and she supports me and wants to understand me... and I want to support and understand her.

 It's like this relationship came out of nowhere which, I suppose, proves the theory that the best relationships you'll ever get into will come from somewhere you weren't looking or at a time when you've given up your endless search for love's undying gratification. For me, the search for someone had produced a plethora of candidates and each person I've considered dating has their own unique qualities that either I can relate to or that I find interesting. That being said, I gave up my search for a relationship because I realized that was the wrong way to go about things; you can't just strike up relationships out of thin air, or just choose a suitor like some dating game, you gotta work towards them and let them happen naturally through good chemistry and communication. Charlotte stood out because not only did I like her but she liked me as well, and there seemed to be an instant chemistry between us that struck up as if out of some happenstance of fate. She is extremely knowledgeable and active in the community; she's always there to lend a helping hand and she's a lot of fun to be with. Anyways, that's all I really want to say about her at the moment because I feel like you might get a little bored reading on and on about what I think of her but she's fantastic.

Awareness 

 Well, tomorrow is a day for awareness of Self Abuse (which has become quite common among teens around my age and thousands of people across the world and in this very nation). In an effort to raise awareness, students will be writing Keep Fighting on their arms and I expect you'll do the same (I know I will be). It's something that affects us all really... I know, in the past, I've contemplated hurting myself even killing myself, but then I realized that what I was going through at the time wasn't even as big a deal as I was making it out to be. I realized that I still had a wonderful family life, amazingly supportive friends, and a lot of achievements to be proud of. Now, I have so much more to be proud of: Hairspray, all the friends I made in BMT, all the friends I've made in Beal Singers, the teachers who I've impressed, the awards that I've won, and now a beautiful, intelligent girlfriend who cares for me and who I care about very much. I'm glad I chose not to hurt myself because it might have affected all of the achievements I've made, all of the people I've met... I'm glad I'm still here. 

"Shawn Harding approves this message. And if you don't like it.............. no pancakes for Jenny."


All These Things That I've Done

 It's been a crazy couple of weeks since school started. I have no idea how things have suddenly become so good but, now that they have, it's making the rest of my school year look wonderful. Sharon and I have discussed continuing work on Insanity's Bride in Matt's absence and we've kicked around a couple of ideas but, until we can arrange a full-on get together, things have been put on hold; meanwhile, I've been trying to integrate a melody I used in my overture for Insanity into a solo song for one of the villains. Another project, besides the numerous projects I've received from my teachers, that I've been gathering ideas to add to is my controversial tale called Hitler Saves Hanukkah. The story of Hitler Save Hanukkah is intentionally absurd and features some very offensive ideas and such, but it's all quite good-spirited and doesn't actually reflect any of my own views. Since I don't have a solid story figured out for HSH but, instead, a basic idea, I've been coming up with a number of ideas to advance and thicken the plot. I can say that it will involve aliens, giant space-dwelling grasshoppers, time travel, a renamed Earth (it'll be called Disney World), and an epic face-off between Adolf 2.0 and Santa Claus. It all sounds quite crazy and offensive and all that right now, I know, but I'm writing it because it's a completely wacko idea and it's original.   

The Loyal, The Trustworthy, and The Honest

 I've made it no secret that I used to be a dishonest person. I used to say stuff and not mean it and try to fit in like a fool who didn't know how to be himself. As soon as Grade 10 began, I knew things had to change and  I learned a lot about trust, honesty, and loyalty. I've come to appreciate my surroundings and the people who want to be a part of my life because I also want to be a good and memorable part of theirs for as long as I possibly can; I don't want to be some fake personality who tries to please everyone. By being ourselves, we can tell who our real friends and, unfortunately, enemies are. Truth be told, I don't have many enemies to boot and I don't intend to make many in my life. I've made mistakes. We all make mistakes. For a long time I've been trying to redeem myself and, through doing so, I have learned so much about my friends, my family,  and my own life; I know now that I want to do my best and be myself because that'll be worth so much more to the people around me and myself in the end. 

And So... 

 Life goes on. It's so great right now and I'm extremely happy. I have amazing friends, a fantastic girlfriend, and a wonderful family. I know my post tonight has had a bit more of a profound twist to it but, with everything going on lately, I think I just needed a little review to put things into perspective and really bask in the moment (not that I'm bragging). I'm in love with life now more than ever and I appreciate it. Now, instead of doing my homework, I will go text Charlotte and read a couple pages of Batman: Year One. After that, I might read some of Dracula for English and I most definitely have to study for my Biology test tomorrow... Anyways, this is the Fro signing off; I shall return soon, I'm sure. 








Wednesday 29 August 2012

Homestruck In The Homestretch

 Well, saying it's been a little while since I've written here would probably be a bit of an understatement... That being said, I just love how reflective this whole blog-keeping activity really is; it's almost therapeutic actually. A lot of things have happened over the time between this post and my last... some bad things, some good things. Nonetheless, there have been some awesome times and a whole new chapter of my life is in it's earliest stages.

The Greater Good

 To be completely blunt, my parents separated around the beginning of August (if I recall correctly). Honestly, it was an extremely emotional time for the first week or so but, while things may still be a little emotionally shaky, my brother and I have both come to terms with it, I think. I'm finding that the house feels a little empty now that my Dad isn't living here (and despite the fact that we still see him); my Mom has her good days and her bad days but, whenever Dad comes to visit or help out with something, it seems like everything ends in some kind of argument. We've decided to move, although we're not entirely sure where to  or when we'll be doing so; we've been cleaning out the basement and getting things ready for a big sale we'll have sometime in the early fall. I know that the whole process of moving has really put a lot of stress on my parents and is probably the reason they seem to argue so often, but it really isn't helping us complete our goals and it makes me quite upset when we're in the middle of doing something and they start firing back and forth between each other; it also adds to the emotional gravity of the situation and brings us down. I really don't want to be that typical teenage kid in the middle of his parent's separation that ends up hating his parents because of their arguing (and I'll never truly hate my parents, I mean, how could anyone?), but it really does bother me when I have to sit there and listen to my Mom and Dad do that! Anyways, I don't want to broadcast this to the whole world cause I'm not entirely sure they'd appreciate that, but I needed somewhere to vent or else I was gonna explode! 

Plans Discontinued

 So, I've been looking back at all my posts and I've realized how little I've accomplished of what I originally set out to do when the summer started; I wanted to go places, talk to people, and do so many different things!!!! What the hell happened?! I haven't hung out with Emma (who remains a mystery woman to me), I haven't gotten Hazel back to hangout with again, and I haven't written half of the stuff I had ideas for in the first place (although I have written some things). I mean, I'm almost completely disappointed with my lack of persistence and determination this summer when it comes to going out of my way to do things... I've really just let all of my plans fall-through. That being said, school's gonna be here in less than a week, and I'm sure that'll create an abundance of new plans somehow; I find myself a little more disappointed because I won't be doing BMT or Drama this year, two courses I have fallen in love with. Besides all of that bad news, I'm still looking forward to my courses and to seeing all of my friends again. 

The Dark Odyssey 

 Considering there hasn't been a lot of good things coming out of this summer, I've been extremely creative in terms of writing and ideas for novels or screenplays. Upon speaking to my friend Clark (who slept over for the first time a few nights ago), it was refreshing to learn that he also writes screenplays and that, despite how rare it truly is find others around our age, I'm not the only one who writes full screenplays for films that I'd love to see come to fruition. Recently, I've finished the screenplay for the first episode of A Killer Among Us, started writing an outline for a sequel to my Mortal Kombat script with the help of my friend Shawn, and have begun working on an untitled screenplay based on the internet meme Slender Man. I've also written the prologue for a novel I'm working on titled The Dark Odyssey and have been ironing out a few ideas for Insanity's Bride and some unrelated poems and songs about love, life, and death. Speaking of Insanity, I haven't seen Sharon or Matt in a very long time; I'm guessing this might have something to do with Matt going into college this year, meaning it could be just Sharon and I working on the project for a while. On an unrelated note, I've discovered some old writing pieces that I worked on back in my early days of public school and, I have to say, they're kind of hilarious (compared to my writing now, that is). Anyways, like I said, I've been extremely creative this summer and I've just stumbled upon some new ideas that I won't reveal quite yet because they're in their earliest stages of development. 
Official cover to my novel-in-progress, The Dark Odyssey.
Un-official poster that I made for Insanity's Bride.

Old Habits vs. The Greater Good

 I think I'm a compulsive liar. There, I said it. I mean, I've told so many little white lies in the past that their combined pressure has added up to the feeling of having told one big lie. I was watching The Breakfast Club for the first time (yes, I know, I can't believe I hadn't seen it before either) and the "weird" girl mentioned how she's a compulsive liar which made me suddenly realize that I may also be. Then, I was watching a marathon of Breaking Bad season 2 and Walter White was trying and cover up his lies with more lies causing his whole family to fall apart, I realized that some lies are much more necessary than others are and that, sometimes, it's the little unnecessary lies that come back to bite us in the ass. Lately, the only lie that's been bugging me has been that I told Hazel that I'm not a virgin when, in truth, I actually am; occasionally this presents a problem in the form of brief interactions between Hazel and those who know the truth, so I constantly try to steer the conversation away from sex, unless I'm alone with her (and that definitely is not meant the way it sounds). 

The Cake Is A Lie

 It's my Dad's birthday tomorrow and I intend to make him a card (despite my mother's idea of taking Dylan and I out to buy him one). I suppose I'll leave off by saying that I may not write again until school starts and that I rescued a den of kittens and their mother from Vauxhall Park with the help of my friend Mercedes just a few days ago; we took them back to her house and now they await a suitable home to be found for them.  

May randomness prevail!!! 

Wednesday 11 July 2012

Friendship & Responsibility

 Oh how interesting the past few days have been.

 First off, it ended up just being Hazel and I at the Sunfest last week (and remember that because I'm going to bring it up later). Next, I discovered that my Mom's friend Laura would be leaving her house under the care of my Mother (Laura has a pool, a fireplace, a pool table; a nice house in general) and I got the wonderful idea of inviting Emma over on the one Saturday when my Mom is going out and leaving the house to me! Now, my Mom kind of assumed I did it simply to have sex with Emma, but my intentions are not so basic (yes, I'd hit on Emma, but I'm pretty sure Emma wouldn't just give herself to me like that). I figured Emma and I could chill out, flirt a little, and have a really nice day... Well, now she's got plans on Saturday because that's when the auditions for the Seussical are!!!! Somehow, I need to make plans with Emma, but I guess I'll have to wait now because, if I keep pestering her to hangout with me, I might push her away and make her not want to hangout with me at all! Oh, and Shawn and I and Clark and Jordan saw The Amazing Spiderman...

 Moving on, I've been having Shawn sleepover for the last few nights and we've had a great time every night; last night, we spent hours talking through a bunch of issues we both individually have in terms of relationships and our other friend, Anthony. Anyways, we got to talking and after uncovering a bunch of my feelings, he came to the conclusion that I love my ex-ex, Hazel. I was reluctant to admit it, but he was right; when he slept over the other day, I called Hazel and kind of told her how I felt. I suppose I did contain expressing some of my deepest emotions because she took control of the conversation and steered it in a much more formal direction whereas I was going for a bit more romantic... Jeez, thinking about it now makes me feel awkward. Nonetheless, I've gotten over most of my feelings for Hazel despite the fact that I was falling for her. By not telling Hazel my deepest feelings, I allowed us to remain just friends, and learnt that sometimes, if we truly care about our loved ones, we have to give up the thing we want the most to see them happy. Now, my romantic pursuit is focused solely on Emma, but first I must learn to back off and give her room to breathe. 


 Now, I sit here waiting and writing as Hazel is going to be coming over today. I'm proud to say that I'm not going to let my feelings get in the way of what I cherish more than anything right now: our friendship. If I can't be in a relationship with Hazel, then you can bet dollars to donuts that I'll remain an honest and trustworthy friend; it's my responsibility.






Sunday 1 July 2012

Containment

 This will probably be a quick post, cause it's the middle of the night and I'm contemplating going to bed really soon. Anyways, I just wanted to update the blog considering school's been over for at least a week and a half now... What an amazing year. Just... wow. I've done so many things that I never thought I'd ever get to do for a very long time and it's been a fantastic second year of high school!!! The exams went really well... Basically everything in terms of academics went just wonderfully. Now that I've conquered grade 10 and summer is upon us, I've submitted a volunteer form for the Palace Theatre; I figured if I volunteer somewhere I could use my time wisely doing something I love AND get most of my volunteer hours out of the way (if they call me or e-mail me back that is). Beyond all that, summer is a wide open door right now that I intend to step through and explore like crazy! I just want to hangout with as many people as I can, and meet new people, see new places, have great conversations, and love, my god, love like I can't contain my passion and joy! I have so much energy pent up inside I just need a party or something so that I can let it all out and have fun!!! I digress, it's lookin' to be a fun summer...

 Now, before I wrap this all up, I have to mention that I just came from one of the most epic sleepovers with the Rat Pack (Gonzalo, Matt, Zach, and I) that I've ever been too! We had a lot of deep discussions about women, life, and God (as per usual)... Gonzalo and I are putting plans together for a double date kinda thing where him and I take Sam and Emma to the Sun Fest on Thursday. To be completely honest, I think Emma is already busy and possibly outside of London at the moment, which could mean I might have to look for a different date... Oh well, I know I'll figure something out. Anyways, that's pretty much it for now... I'll probably update after the whole Sun Fest thing goes down. This is moi signing out...


Until next time, enjoy this video I created based on a fancast I did of our BMT class in Sweeney Todd.


Wednesday 20 June 2012

Inferno

 

Oops

  Well, I suppose it's been a while since I've posted anything. I've just been really busy, tired, excited, and distracted from a lot of things. My mind has been racing with thoughts of summer and finally getting to work on dozens of short stories, novellas, and Insanity's Bride; and there have been thoughts in regards to BMT, the exams, and, well...... Emma Heidenheim. Nonetheless, I'm determined to stay focused and plow through these exams with skill and confidence (although the very idea of the dance exam in BMT scares the hell out of me... oh well). I have a lot to talk about... A lot to just vent into some random place like this blog and get my thoughts and problems down somewhere before I lose my freakin' mind!!!! In all seriousness though, I've been waiting for a moment where I have the creative and physical energy to write something here again and, after several encounters with Sharon where she's asked me whether I've updated my blog, I realized that it was finally time to sit down and give it a go. Where to start though... 

What I Have In The Works...

  I'll start with some writing projects I wanna write this summer because that'll be the easiest to talk about. A couple months ago I came up with an idea for a book series based around a plot that involves several people being teleported to an alternate Earth ruled by an elite society of zombies that despise humans; the plot would be a lot more complex by the end of the first book and I'd like to create a whole universe of characters and themes around the idea because it's slightly original and there would definitely be a lot of action involved.


 Next, I came up with an idea for a short novella with a basic plot that goes as follows:

   A group of young, pre-teen boys discover the dead body of a black man just on the outskirts of a small-town in Maine. After deciding to investigate, the boys uncover a plot by a local sect of the KKK, led by a man who strangely resembles Adolf Hitler, who plot to assassinate the President of the United States. 


Yeah, so that's pretty much it for that idea. The novella would be like Stand By Me meets Apt Pupil meets Cycle of the Werewolf so it would be a complete tribute to the mind and work of Stephen King (a man who I admire beyond comprehension; his work never fails to impress and interest me).

 I've also been slowly working on a script for a mini-series I'm writing called A Killer Among Us. Here's a rough plot synopsis to wet your appetite for a good horror-comedy:

  Five years ago, Jacob Elworthy witnessed the death of his parents at the hands of a madman. Now, Jacob lives out his daily life as a casual serial killer, murdering on impulse to satisfy his need of revenge; that is, until he breaks up with the love of his life and tries to turn over a new leaf to impress her and get her back. Meanwhile, one of Jacob’s friends, Wade, starts to notice things about Jacob that don’t add up and launches his own investigation into Jacob’s life, putting Jacob at risk of being found out and exposed. As Jacob struggles to win back the affection of his love interest and Wade’s snooping, many more conflicts arise that threaten to take everything away from him, leaving Jacob to question every move he makes and cover his tracks carefully. Can Jacob ever live a normal life now that he’s already dug such a deep hole?


So I have a lot of projects in the works that, somehow, all involve death in one way or another... I guess it's no wonder that I'm in love with the musical Sweeney Todd

 Finally, I came up with some little title ideas for possible stories, and also came up with an idea for a story about an alternate universe where men and women come from different planets and, one day, a man lands on the woman-planet (or vice versa; I haven't decided yet) and stirs up a lot of trouble and conflict of some kind. I'm thinking it would share the same universe as the Zombie Planet series but would only reference it here and there... We'll see. On to other things happenin' in my life......

Emma Heidenheim.

 Who is she, you ask? Why, she's only the daughter of my Grade 9 music teacher... So you can imagine I might seem a bit cautious when talking about her or even to her!!! Just to clear the air of that one dreaded question that someone is obligated to ask even when it's obvious: yes, I do like Emma ("like" like, if you'd like). She's stunningly beautiful, her voice is mesmerizing and it's going to kill me just thinking about it! Anyways, the other day I sang my solo in BMT for some Adrian guy (who was really helpful and friendly) who's an actor that's worked on touring productions of Next To Normal and Julius Caesar or something like that, and he gave feedback and it turned out really well! The next day, Emma sang her solo and, as expected, blew us all away; afterwards, I congratulated her over Facebook and talked to her a bit and, to my surprise, she asked me for me number. My number! I was completely and utterly shocked, excited, scared, happy, and confused all at the same time... Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration of how I felt, but it was quite the good feeling. So, long story short, I gave her my number, she gave me hers, and now I'm just waiting for her to find her phone so I can call her during the summer and work my way out of the probable friend-zone (the only thing worse than that would be if she thought I'm gay; and, of course, there's nothing wrong with being gay, but I prefer the ladies). That's pretty much it so far. I don't want to plan on "making a move" or anything like that because anything like that should either be spontaneous or brought on by a dare from Zach or Gonzalo (which doesn't happen often to be honest... or not as much as it used to).

Nonetheless... 

 It's been a phenomenal year! I've worked with some of the most talented people at Beal and I'm proud to say that they've helped me and supported me as a performer and inspired in me the desire to improve my performance quality and extend my vocal and physical capabilities with practice and focus. I'll keep updating the blog if anything interesting happens during the summer... But who knows? There's so many possibilities and opportunities that I just can't wait to go out and seek excitement; I'll be safe, happy, and adventurous! I already have several camping trips in the works, possible hangouts with an assortment of my friends including  Emma Heidenheim, and, like I said, I'm extremely excited to start expanding on all of my writing ideas (as I have even more than the few you've read about here); who knows whether I'll finish any one idea... Anyways, I'm just glad school is almost over, but I will be sad to say goodbye to BMT for a whole year. On that note, this is me signing off for now, with the hope that I return to my blog with words of wisdom, love, and adventure to share with the internet... 

Stay Classy ;)



  

Sunday 27 May 2012

3 Roses, 2 Exes, and 1 Truth

I'll always know what I want; and I'll always want what I can't have. 


  Considering the fact I just came from a cast party that resulted in me staying out all night, witnessing two of my friends react to acid (no, I didn't take any), and sleeping over at one of the cast members' houses, you'd think I'd have nothing but awesome things to write but, truthfully, it all feels quite bittersweet. I spent the entire night playing "Mr. Third-Wheel" while one of my friends (whose name I won't mention) spent the entire night trying to make-out with one of the wardrobe girls from our Hairspray production; they did eventually end up making out, but it turned out not to be worth it as my friend has no intention of actually being with this girl (he's not very interested at all). I also spent the entire night with my stage makeup still on and I didn't end up getting a chance to wash it off until just an hour ago when I came home. Even more than all of that, I spent the first half of the night texting my ex-ex-girlfriend who told me she would "jump on the chance" to date me again if she wasn't already currently in a relationship and, when I responded with a happy face, she inquired how I felt about her ("you're friend-zoned... which sucks... but if you get it off your chest it might help") and then I indulged in what seemed like a fruitless conversation about how much I miss her (which I didn't outright say but I think there was definitely that underlying implication). 
A somewhat accurate portrait of my ex-ex-girlfriend. Btw, I did not draw this picture. 

  Y'know it doesn't help that my ex-ex-ex- girlfriend wants to date me again either; I really have no interest in her beyond being friends at this point, and my friend Danielle Harris wants me and my ex-ex-ex to hookup which is just a teenie bit of pressure. Meanwhile, in BMT, I wrote Emma Heidenheim a "warm fuzzy" (which is basically a little note with a compliment in it) with my number in it because I really like her and I thought it'd be a good idea. NOW, I'm almost certain it was a horrible idea and I'm going to take it back (well, rip the number off of it anyways). There's also another girl in our class who keeps leading me, Zach, and Gonzalo all on; Gonzalo says he wants to be the first one out of all of us to make a move, but I'm really thinking I might just go for it before he gets the chance... Then again, I've never exactly been the "best" at move-making, but BMT has really opened up my social life and I've learned a lot from the advice and teachings of Zach and also Gonzalo (oh, the irony). Nonetheless, I haven't entirely been sure of my own feelings considering how many girls have suddenly entered my social life, and I certainly haven't found a way to decide who I should pursue (or if I should pursue at all)! All in all, my love life continues to get extremely complicated (refer to the sub-heading at the top for further info) while my social life blooms... ^_^ 

Optimism is, and always will be, key. 


  Anyways, last night was the semi-closing night of Hairspray ("semi" because we have a bonus show to perform on June 1st) and I can honestly say that I'm very proud of my work and all of my achievements this year. Finally, after much anticipation, my family got to see Hairspray on Friday night and it felt great to have lots of love and support in the audience (from people I knew and loved); they enjoyed the show and I had so much fun performing for them! I have to say that, despite my romantic troubles and the many stressful aspects of being in a musical, I'm having a lot of fun, meeting so many new people, partying out, and learning so much from every experience that I'm very grateful to have my life. It's definitely become a really emotional time in my life and I just keep trying to stay as optimistic as possible despite the obstacles that may stand in my path! 
BMT's production of Hairspray; Run and Tell That. 

  I think I'll conclude today by writing that Insanity's Bride is really starting to develop and I'm happy to be working with such wonderful people as Matt and Sharon. I'd also like to add that I am currently procrastinating in regards to an English project I should be doing right now... but that's just how I am. Anywho, this is The Fro signing off so, until next time, keep your hair and your optimism high; life is grand as long as you believe! 





  

Saturday 19 May 2012

"Afrotastic"

  Well, to say it's be a usual few weeks since I last posted would be a complete understatement. Over the past two weeks, my life has consisted of being sick, performing Hairspray for Beal and a slew of public schools, and what went from being some of the most stressful experiences of my life to experiences I now appreciate and have grown from significantly. I've actually accomplished quite a bit over the amount of time I've spent away from this blog; there hasn't been a single moment where I haven't been busy or too tired to do anything but sit around or sleep until now. I can honestly say that I've never been prouder of myself than I am at the moment because I realized just how lucky I am to have the life, the friends, the family, and the opportunities that I do as a human being. Hairspray has become a stepping stone to the future that I'm working towards and, although I write about it every time I make an entry, I can't stress enough the fact that I'm so appreciative of the opportunity I've been given as a performer and as a student.  The only thing that would make all of this better would be if I wasn't sick right now... I digress...

Beal Musical Theatre's production of Hairspray!!!! (left to right) Nate Crocker (Edna), Kelsey Falconer (Tracy),      Austin Campbell (me, Gilbert), Olivia Sinclair-Brisbane (Motormouth Maybelle), Greg Eadie (Seaweed), Vanessa Johnston (Lil' Inez) 


  It's the long weekend!!! I'll be having Shawn over tonight which should prove to be as interesting as always; we always find a way to have a good time, and we always talk about the usual stuff: girls, games, movies, girls, craziness, politics... Girls. As per usual whenever Shawn comes over, we'll be sitting down for at least an hour of Battlefield 3 unless he actually changes his mind about it for once (maybe I ought to choose a different game for us to play more often... one that's actually multiplayer)! I was hoping that I could also use this long weekend to catch up on my Reading Contract for English class; I've been reading The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger by Stephen King (hmmm... I wonder what other secrets lie within' the mind of Roland the Gunslinger). Truthfully, I really want to start working on my script for a series I'm doing with my friends Clark and Jordan; plus, I'm interested in writing some songs for Insanity's Bride and I also want to go over the plot with Sharon because I need to get a handle on it and start mulling around some ideas with the team before I move forward and begin actually writing anything. My project with Clark and Jordan can wait until later in the summer, while I'm not entirely sure about Insanity's Bride considering Matt is heading off to Western University next year (man... he's old)!



  Moving on, I just saw The Avengers last night and, I must say, wow... Just wow; the film was truly stunning for such a simple concept and I really think Joss Whedon proved a worthy director of such sacred source material. While the opening of the film was a little slow, the conflict within' the team was fascinating as soon as Thor arrived! Also, I think that Jeremy Renner and Scarlett Johansson really won me over as Hawkeye and Black Widow, respectively. **SPOILER ALERT** When Tony Stark took that nuke into space at the end, I was completely and utterly blown away by the scale of the film and how intense it had all gotten; along with that, the scene with Thanos at the end was killer! Honestly, I can't wait until Iron Man 3 and Captain America 2, cause The Avengers leaves you wanting more from every single character that graces the screen (including Mark Ruffalo, who portrayed a near-perfect Bruce Banner/Hulk)! If you haven't guessed already, I'm a bit of a comicbookmovie geek!!!


  Anyways, that's pretty much all for me right now; I'll update you on the progress of my projects and stuff when they come to fruition but, until then, this is The Fro signing off...




Tuesday 1 May 2012

Soon, I Will Be Drunk!

   What can I say? Other than the fact that Hairspray is definitely making up most of my life at this point, I've still found the time to sit down and add a new blog entry; it seemed like an impossible task (to a procrastinator like me, that is). Then again, I reveled in the fact that, here, I can write about anything (well, almost anything) and, as a writer, that kind of freedom from plot structure can really make you relax and let the words type themselves. Zippity Zobbitty Boop Bop. In those few words, I have described to you, the reader, how my entire day has felt. It's been a constant mixture of highs and lows, contemplation and waiting, and exciting new opportunities for me to grasp. I have to admit, it probably didn't help that I took some Nyquil last night, cause I spent the entire morning still feeling the effects of it (I almost feel asleep in the auditorium for heaven's sake)! Nonetheless, the day went pretty well; the only thing that really happened was Phil collapsing from exhaustion in BMT Vocal class today... Yeah, that was kind of scary; luckily, though, he's alright now. 


   Anyways, today I started working on the dance for "Run and Tell That" from Hairspray and Sharon and Matt were there in support as usual; somehow their combined presence made me feel just a little more comfortable being in the dance studio again (I'm a bit of a "fish out of water" there, considering I'm not much of a dancer). I don't do much dancing anyways so I was pretty happy, although it did seem like a waste of a lunch period to go down there just to know that I'd be sitting on a table for the entire number. We have a big dance rehearsal coming up tomorrow night and I'm hoping Iddy changes my part in "Run and Tell That" so that we can get off the table and do some more physical stuff. I've really been slipping into the dancing process since we began rehearsing everyday (although I can't say that I'm feeling good about performing just two weeks from now). On that note, I performed a solo today in choir (first time) and it went over really well; I was one of the top two auditionees for solo, so all-in-all I'd say I must of sounded pretty well too! 




    I'll leave off today on the note that I may not be able to post another entry until Friday night and, after that, not until Sunday. If I'm near the computer, I'll throw another one up and keep y'all updated; if not, well you're all screwed... Just kidding. I've got a party I'm going to on Saturday night and, I'm not gonna lie, there are going to be a lot of girls, a lot of alcohol, and a whole lot of this guy getting his party on!!!! So, if my post on Sunday seems to be a bit melancholy it'll probably be because I have a hangover or endured some sort of sexual escapade (or maybe I'll leave out the latter). The point is that I may post or I may not; just know that if I don't post it's not because I'm dead or in some random location in a completely different country. 



Monday 30 April 2012

Relaxation Out of Contemplation

     I can't believe it! Just 5 minutes ago I had no idea that this site existed and now I already have a blog that I'm posting in! To be frank, it's been a long time since I've blogged anything (maybe 2007 or 8-ish), but I think I'm picking it up pretty well. That being said, I don't think I'll have enough time to blog every night; I shouldn't even be doing this right now, I have a lot of work from English class that I've been procrastinating about for way too long (which is a paradox, it seems). Nonetheless, I enjoy blogging for one simple reason: I don't have any true restrictions here; I can say what I want to say regardless of following some coherent plot-line or having to deal with character development that seems spontaneous. I love writing, but sometimes I just need a break from the usual creativity of it all; just kick back and throw out some old school journal-like writing. 





          As of now, my life has officially reached a point where I can say I am really comfortable. I may not have a girlfriend at the moment (although I do have a crush whose name I dare not speak anywhere albeit a few conversations with close friends), but I've just been living so fun, free, and energetic every day, trying to remain as optimistic as I can in preparation of Beal Musical Theatre's production of the Broadway musical Hairspray, which I'm starring in (and, no, I'm not playing the lead black role, which I did regret not auditioning for but, after much thought, I've gotten over). I've made so many new friends and met a lot of interesting new people through BMT, and I'm having the time of my life performing with them all on stage! In fact, my friends Gonzalo, Matt, and Zach (the Lenny to my Carl), have all formed a group, with me, called the Rat Pack; we are literally the definition of the word misfits.


Come On Down and see the Magic that is Hairspray


          While my life continues to evolve and I transcend through my teenage years to young adulthood, I start to ponder what my future holds and who I'll spend some of my most interesting days with. My passion is writing and acting! Speaking of acting, I really need to go schedule an appointment with my guidance councilor and see if I can switch some of my classes next year to drama classes (considering I wanna act and all); I'm also wearily contemplating whether or not I should participate in choir next year or not (I keep picturing myself next year, sitting on my bed, bored out of my skull, wishing I had selected an extra-curricular activity of some kind to do). Lord knows I'd never turn to sports as an extra-curricular activity, but choir or some other kind of work would be nice... Oh wait, I could just get a job! 


          And, as an added measure of awesomeness to those who may read this, here's the link to my newest draft of a Mortal Kombat script that is truly one of my longest projects so far. My next project appears to be a new musical called "Insanity's Bride," which I'll be collaborating on with my friends Matt Butler and Sharon Fisher! Anywho, enjoy:


Mortal Kombat - Final Draft