Not An Editor

I finished that 70+ page document last night! Starting out at 15,000 words and 103 pages, I've taken out duplicates, extra words, and all sorts of junk that was looked over before to 11,000 words and 78 pages. Personally, I'm rather proud of me.

I'm now spending more time editing my scripts. I finished one today that I'm shooting tomorrow with my mom's help (She said she'd hold the camera/monopod. I'm hoping we have a mini-tripod somewhere, though). I have a few more rough drafts going, some of which will probably never be finished. I'm adapting a lot of ideas that I would make skits into movies now---I'm getting a lot of ideas, and its really fun! It's going to be harder when I have videos that require more than one person---like this untitled one that I've been working on for a couple months, but haven't gotten very far in it. I'm working on lyrics to one of the songs.

So check my YouTube channel sometime in the next few days---I should have a new video posted. I really like how the script goes, and I think it's going to be really fun and simple to shoot.

Editor-in-Chief

My room remains uncleaned, bassoon mostly untouched---I got some practice in tonight, piano Exercise Three unplayed, and Watership Down unread (Do I HAVE to finish it?). What do you suppose I've been doing, then?

Editing every freaking document I have.

I'm dead serious. I reformatted my unpublished website YET again, and I keep making little alterations to it, forcing me to spend ten minutes making those changes on all four main pages. I have to go through a lot of edited documents and emails that will later become the content on the site and edit them. The one that I'm working on right now, actually, racks in at 82 pages and 12,196 words. It started out 102 pages and about 15,000 words. Just shows you how much I've been working on it this weekend.

I've also been working on a few movie scripts recently, hoping to later film them and add them to my YouTube channel (In my ongoing attempt to be the next Ryan Murphy, Neil Cicierega, or Max Pacheco). Of course, those need to be edited as well, so I'm adding those to the pile.

In case you're curious, this is what I look like when I'm editing. Yup, bad lighting, hat, and all:



Hopefully, soon you'll see some of my progress when my website goes up or when I finally post a video.

Feeling Artistic

I'd post a picture if I could, but a link's the best I could do:

My ArtPad Picture

Boring post, but you can see the steps I took to make it on the link.

Bad Mood

Quinn moved. I found this poem online, and I think it's rather nice. It'll be my content for the day.

Blast from the Past

Peace out, man.

Halfway Through

I love four day weeks.

I like them even more when there's a 4-day weekend, leading up to another 4 day week.

It makes nearly two weeks go by so quickly. It might just be me, but personally, I like it when things (Such as school) go quickly. It makes everything in the grand scheme of things go by faster: things like the first quarter, and occasionally the entire school year.

Funny thing is, tomorrow is actually midterms, I think. Either this week or next week; I'm not entirely sure. I'm pretty sure it's this week, which would make me very happy. After all, when midterms come, that's marking the halfway point of the quarter (Hint the work "mid"). That means that no matter how long or short that half way, you only have to go it again and then poof: fall break.

I'm pretty much enjoying this year, but the idea of fall break coming IS rather nice.

LOL of the Day

FRED Throwdown

Many YouTube viewers know that FRED is "a 6-year-old with anger management issues" who has his own webshow. Recently, he posted this video, challenging all of his viewers ot imitate a certain movement:



Naturally, I had to do it. With me being me though, I didn't just make a 12-second long clip. No, I spent an hour making 56 seconds of footage:



I'm rather proud of how it turned out. I meant to add Bulgarian, Russian, and Polish to the mix, but I was beat after memorizing three foreign sentences, and decoding the Cyrillic that iGoogle would have given me for Russian and Bulgarian did NOT sound like my idea of fun.

By the way: visit my new YouTube Channel!

Super Sweet Thirteen

Today I'm officially a teenager. I'm mostly happy because now I'm not going to face endless "Oh my gosh you're STILL twelve?" at school. Of course, brownies at night are also nice...

My friend Katie and I are having a musicals-on-DVD sleepover. Right now, the queue is just West Side Story, but that might change sooner or later. We might also just decide that staying up until one AM is plenty late: it's hard to tell sometimes.

In the Big Apple

Big Apple Store, that is. I'm here, getting a DVD burned because for some reason, moving a file from Mac to Mac is NOT as intuitive as promised. We can move from PC to Mac, Mac to PC, forwards, backwards, sideways, diagonally...

...but not Mac to Mac.

Normally, I would take a picture of myself blogging from the Apple Store (Taken on my Apple computer), but I'm not sure what type of security issues they have here, and having your Mac confiscated by the Genius Bar wouldn't really be much of a grand old time.

So I'm coding that super-secret website right about now. I've changed the layout AGAIN, but I think I'm going to be able to open it soon. I'm just about starving, and Apple Minutes are longer than Earth Minutes (Or PC Minutes or even Linux Minutes, probably). The time remaining has been "7 minutes" for about 20 minutes, and I'm close to hurling the stupid iMac across the room. Of course, that wouldn't make it finish any quicker, so that probably isn't a good idea.

Guilty Pleasure

I'm pretty well known by my friends as a pretty hard Patti LuPone-basher. I've listened mainly to her Mrs. Lovett and Fantine, and by that, I was NOT impressed. However, I've discovered Evita, and, well...



...I'm hooked. (Sorry about any previous bashing, Patti. No hard feelings)

About the LOLRAT

No, I didn't make it, and no, it's no from the LOLCATS site. It's its own kind, from Vermin-Realm. It's the most amazing little blog ever! I haven't had much time to take a really good look at it, but hello: it has to do with rats.

LOL...

...Rats:

Blog365: Day 230

A couple of YouTube videos are the content for today. One for total randomness; Redneck Art (Check it out, Papa Boyd!):



And one that Maya sent, that describes how we're taking the fact that one of our friends is moving in a little less than two weeks, and I'm not entirely sure when I'm gonna see her again: (Gotta love the oboe)

Sick

My apologies for the lame post title, but I've lost track of which day of Blog365 I'm on, and have no sassier ideas.

I'm turning off my alarm clock tonight and "sleeping in"---as in probably waking up at 7 or so, because I don't sleep well when I'm sick. Then, I'll probably spend the day sewing, studying for my science test, and coding my website. If I feel any better, I might also clean my room, as it is in desperate need of picking up.

But here's a song I found the other day. It makes me happy---it's practically my theme song now!

"But remember, it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

I finally finished what is now my favorite book ever: To Kill A Mockingbird. My mom read the first chapter out to my brother out when I in 3rd grade. I thought it was boring---"It started with some kid breaking his arm and ended with entering some haunted house. What the heck?"

Well, that broken arm (Jem, when he was nearly thirteen, badly at the elbow, to be exact) and haunted house (Mr. Aurthur "Boo" Radley) all make sense. They all tie together to create, what I think to be, the greatest book EVER.

I liked it a lot more than I thought I would, actually. I figured I would just be reading it to please my mom and brother, who both love it.

Rather, though, I picked it up and couldn't stop. Everything about it was interesting: Miss Maudie's fire, Calpurnia taking Scout and Jem to church, Dill in general, the trial...(Oh, yes, the TIRAL!)

I have the movie at the top of the NetFlix queue. Mike apparently hated it ("That was supposed to be in NOVEMBER, not AUGUST! Why did they make it August???"), but I'm curious about what it's like. And who knows? Maybe I'll actually like it.

Feeling like Ick

As you can see, I'm not feeling so hot. I started feeling bad this morning, and it got progressively worse as the day went on. By the end of the school day, though, I was feeling like total crap.

Therefore, I'm going to be spending the weekend low-key: practicing oboe, bassoon, and piano, cleaning my room, and studying for a couple tests I have Monday. Oh, and sleeping. No way am I waking up at 5:45 tomorrow.

Week Two Ends

Tomorrow is the end of the second week of school. It's been a lot quicker than the first week, which gives me hope that this year won't be as dreadfully long as last year.

Then again, the years are getting quicker, too, so I wonder if everything is just gaining speed. 1st/2nd and 3rd periods take forever, but once I get to 4th period, the day flies. 6th period is nearly non-existent! Then my after-school time is so limited...

That's it: everything's getting faster. Everything except the time it takes to get to summer, that is.

Best of Both Worlds

(Note: I am NOT a Miley Cyrus fan now. In fact, this has nothing to do with her song. * Just thought I should let you all know that.)

I finally installed Mac Office 2008! So far, I totally love it---I have the new versions of Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Entourage, Project Gallery, and Microsoft Messenger. I've only clicked around on a few of them, but so far, I absolutely love it!

I was actually planning on just going all-Mac and getting iWorks. However, I wasn't amazed with the trial that I downloaded, and didn't think that buying three so-so programs that I didn't even fully know how to work would be a good idea against four programs that I DO know how to use.

So finally my little "office" is totally complete. I have all my files, my printer/scanner, and now I can actually write stuff and make presentations, spreadsheets, and all sorta of cool stuff.

"So I've got the best of both worlds..."

(*Well, maybe a little.)

No More Olympics

I'm just about done with staying up until eleven. I mean, the Olympics are cool and all...but I have to get up at 5:45 to catch the bus at seven. Staying up until nearly midnight is NOT my idea of fun.

I really wish they didn't run so freakishly late. I mean, if they ran them until, say, ten, I'd be fine. But midnight or later? On a school night? I draw the line there.

Rather, I think I'll be spending my nights either reading To Kill A Mockingbird (AMAZING) or practicing oboe.

Or sleeping. Sleeping is good.

Week Two Begins

The second week of school started! Everyone says that time is flying, but personally, I think it's going insanely slow. Most of my friends are still on Summer Break, and I'm kind of jealous that they're all having sleepovers while I'm inside studying Algebra...

At least I haven't had a lot of homework recently. I mean, I have to study German every night, but my book is really small, and it doesn't take long to just review my vocabulary words. We've started having quizzes and tests already, though---I actually need to look over my science vocabulary words for the quiz tomorrow.

Otherwise, life has been more or less uneventful. My mom's recyclable bottle were taken away by the garbage truck today, but I didn't witness that, so I have no personal account. I suppose it'll be more or less like that tomorrow, except I'm going to be cranking out piano exercises like nobody's business. Wednesday is my first piano lesson of the school year, and I want to make sure I'm ready.

Dawn has broken

I finally finished the fourth and final book in the Twilight series---Breaking Dawn! It was absolutely AMAZING, but I'm actually kind of sad. Like, even more so than I was at the end of Deathly Hallows. I have no earthly idea---the movie is coming out in December, and the OFFICIAL GUIDE is coming out December 30th. Harry Potter only has two movies left, was a longer series...

Maybe I just became more attached to the characters. No matter how much I obsess(ed) about Viktor, Jacob Black is officially cooler. He's also cooler than Edward Cullen, but that's a different matter. (No hate mail, please!)

It's 10 PM, about an hour later than I'd usually go to bed, but I have no regrets. Mrs. Milam, if you're reading this, good news! I'll be able to lend the book to you by the end of the day tomorrow.

This just made my day...

Accomplished

Well, it's 20 minutes before the posting deadline, and I don't have much to post.

I've spent all evening working on a DVD about my visit to Syracuse, and it's finally done! I'm trying to think of a way to send it to Maya for now without having to burn a disk. I want her to see it as soon as possible!

Finally Friday

Tomorrow will be, at least. I just got finished with my German homework (Flashcards and studying 0 through 20 in German), and I'm about to put everything away and go to bed. I'm getting kind of sick, but I hope I'll be able to last until the weekend to feel like crap...

Happy Birthday, Maya!

Today is Maya's 13th birthday! (And actually, the 1st was Quinn's birthday, so Happy BELATED birthday to Quinn!) I actually DO have a recent picture of all three of us from my recent visit to Syracuse. Behold!



And now, for those of you who by any chance don't know Maya's here's a quick glance at her likes...

Pointe Shoes (!!!)



Javert



Phantom



Cyrillic Letters (Spelling Russian words, of course!)



...and DISlikes...

Raoul



Raoul



Raoul



Happy Birthday, Maya! Eat some cake, write some skits, or whatever you feel like doing. (But if all else fails, DO eat cake. Cake is good)

Blog365: Day 217

Today was...well, kind of on the boring side of things. Really, this is all that happened:

• I woke up at 5:45 for school
  
• School was rather uneventful
  
• I didn't have homework
  
• I went to the school's open house
  
• I practiced oboe
  
• And bassoon
  

And now I will

• Finish my IMs
  
• Help Karen resolve some Movie Maker problem
  
• Brush my teeth and
  
• Go to bed
  

Top Dogs

My school's mascot is the bulldog. Naturally, since the eighth graders are the oldest in the school, they're called (At least by the staff) the "top dogs".

Well, this year is MY year to be top dog. The first day was today, and I'm pleased to say it went really well! I think this year is going to be a LOT smoother than last year, considering a both know people and know some of the semi-harsh realities of middle school life.

Considering this is the last year of middle school, here's a timeline of the annual back-to-school pictures, from 6th to 8th.

Sixth:



Seventh:



And finally, eighth:



Although I say this every year, I think I mean it this time: it's going to be a great year!

"My world's on fire, how about yours..."

Literally---it's BOILING down here! (And for those who know the rest of the lyrics, no, that is notdo become bored.) Apparently, the AC dying is just the way to end Summer of '08.
the way I like it. And I
I think we're all going to wind up doing homework in the basement once school starts tomorrow, as it's just insane upstairs. The basement has a tendency to never get hot, for better or for worse. It just stays the same cool temperature year round. (Actually, it gets wicked cold in Winter, but in the beginning of August, you don't think about that)

My last day of summer is going to be rather boring, surprisingly enough. It mostly consisted of getting stuff ready for tomorrow, including but not limited to:

• Cleaning my room
  
• Painting my nails (Mostly so I don't bite them)
  
• Figuring out what I'm even going to wear tomorrow
  
• Practicing my piano and bassoon exercises, as well as touching up my mad oboe skillz
  
• Clearing out my binder and filling it with the normal back-to-school stuff: pencils, pens, highlighter, etc.
  
• (Hopefully) getting to bed by 9 or earlier
  

I've got about eight hours to do it all---that SHOULD be enough. And if it's not? Well, I guess that's where prioritizing kicks in.

Mamma Mia!

James, Raven, and I went to see Mamma Mia! at the movies today. I hadn't gone to see a movie in theatre since...hmm. Most recent one I can think of is Sweeney Todd, but I may be wrong.

It was actually really cute! Some parts were a little...weird (like the chorus that follows the cast around), but I was kind of expecting that. Overall, I liked it, but have been ABBA'd out for awhile.

Then again, I might buy the soundtrack...

Internet Blockout

I'm more or less on an internet blackout---Breaking Dawn is coming out in less than 90 minutes!

Not much else to post---I got my eyebrows waxed today, and they look really nice! Picture to come.