In the absence of rose petals.

Maybe I didn't fully explain myself. Maybe it would have been a good idea to start from the beginning of this.   How I started feeling this thing for you- it wasn't a crush, but a like. I mean we've been friends for years and years but this wasn't friendship. It was more than that. But not a crush.

But who would have guessed that it would turn into one? And I decided to just embrace it because it was nice. I hadn't cared much about anyone in little while and this feeling that was stirring was just so comfortable. I was happy to care about someone again. It didn't matter that you didn't know and that you didn't care back. Just to have this feeling back was enough.

I started telling a few people, you know, in conversation, when you were brought up. How cute! You would be such a perfect couple. I can totally see it.

I mean, I knew it was never going to happen. You're straight and I'm just too respectful.

But then first semester turns to second and second semester turns to summer and I still have this crush. The night I planned to tell you; I told your ex-girlfriend instead. (She was very supportive in case you were wondering.) I decided I wasn't going to tell you. It was such a perfect christening of the summer. I wasn't going to alter that. And I didn't regret not telling you then.

And then Senior Year came along and I started just... not caring. Not caring what anybody thought anymore, not caring about the people around me that didn't matter. High school is transitory after all. And I still had this thing and it was growing and growing and I just wanted it to stop. I wasn't complacent anymore with just liking you. I was through with letting you control me; and you didn't even know you were. I'd plan my outfits around the days I see you most. Censor my Tweets because I didn't want you to think I was crass. I even made flossing about you- how I wanted my teeth to be perfect for you. How I love that slight chip in your front tooth that you might not even know is actually there.

And I just decided to tell you. It wasn't actually a long, thoughtful, reflective process. I just got home from school and said to myself I'm done; I don't care. I need to tell him so I can fucking get rid of him. Of his priority. If he liked me back, which was doubtful but hopeful, then fantastic! And if not then whatever. Then I can move on. If it ruins our friendship, if there's this irreparable awkwardness, then so be it.

So thank you for politely declining. You gave me the chance to quit you. To forget about all of this and dress for myself and think for myself and floss for myself.

And for God's sake, I don't know why, but it hasn't gone away.

Hey.

I have my audition for Emerson's musical theatre program on Sunday.

Can you believe it?

I'm kind of freaking out but I'm kind of excited but still nervous and I just want to go now and do it because I am so anxious and Kasey is making me so worried with her UCONN trials and UGH

I don't know guys. This has been a weird year. Good year. Weird though. I just need a break.

Yawn

America's Next Top Model marathons; obsessing over Allison Harvard. Common Application waiting to be done. My sailor hat needs steaming. There's so many empty waterbottles scattered around my room. It's 2:13 but it feels like 5 and I need a nap but I have a philosophy paper and a free response journal due tomorrow. You would think that in my fourth year of high school I would know not to wait until last minute to do things.

I'm spent and I need a warm blanket and a fluffy pillow and a charged iPod. God knows this is an awful blog entry. I felt like writing but as I write more I'm getting progressively more and more tired.

Screw this, I'm taking my contacts out.

What I Did for Love.

Eric, what are you doing?

You KNOW you should be doing those 20 dialectical journal entries and the essay that are due on Thursday. You KNOW you should be getting ready for your last first day of school. You KNOW that writing in this blog will not help you at all to prepare for your senior year.

But yet you keep on writing.

Well, here I am world. What a crazy life I'm living.

I don't know what I actually want to talk about. I just know that I want to talk. I've said too many goodbyes,  done too much calculus, eaten too many Cheetohs to keep myself quiet.

It's so strange to say that tomorrow's the first day of senior year.

Firstly, "the first day." This summer was great. 2012 has treated me very well and this summer is no different. Between camp, driving, Bright Lights, vacations, I really enjoyed myself. The only thing I would have changed was choosing to start all my schoolwork yesterday. But I won't forget, can't regret, what I did for love.

It's like YOLO for theater people.

I can't believe that school starts tomorrow. They say after 21 days of something, it becomes routine. Summer is all too much a routine. Sure, I'll get back in the swing of things, but I just can't imagine myself in a hallway right now, in a triangular desk, writing essays and carrying books.

Secondly, "senior year."

Christ.

Who would have thought I would ever be a senior? Not that I'm worried about it, not that I'm scared of it, I'm just surprised by it. I never thought I would be the oldest of anything. I've always been the youngest. The youngest sibling, youngest of my neighborhood gang, youngest at the school. Now I'm a senior. The oldest. I'm just so not used to it at all.

But they say after 21 days, it becomes routine.

We'll get used to this. Being older. We're always getting older, after all.

I did it.

I passed my driving test today.

I wasn't nervous. I wouldn't let myself be nervous. I tried convincing myself I'm ready, I can do this. I was doubtful. Not nervous.

The receptionist told me to wait downstairs for car number four. I hastily read last-minute parking tips on my phone while waiting as the minutes stretched longer and longer. I spotted number four in the parking lot as a girl my age had gotten out. Her mother, who had been waiting for her outside, anxiously called if she passed. The girl confirmed. She said that the instructor was ready for me, and that it was his birthday today.

This has to be a good sign. 


The man was friendlier that I had imagined him. I wished him a happy birthday. "Word gets around doesn't it?"

I had already driven on the course beforehand. It's easy. The car's brake took a little getting used to and the roads were just a little wet, but I wouldn't let this intimidate me.

I drove, cautiously and attentively, but making sure I didn't go below the speed limit. I've been screamed at to accelerate too many times to let that be my downfall.

I waited at a light to turn left. Across from me was a car with its right blinker on, turning the same way I was. I waited for the car to turn. It was his right away after all. The instructor said "Are you paying attention?" Surely I was. "To the light?" I looked up, realizing that it had been a few precious seconds since I actually looked up, as I was concentrating on the other car. I had a green turn arrow. The other car had to have had a red arrow.

I thought, oh no, please don't let that fail me. But there was still a part inside of me that knew that it wouldn't have. It shouldn't have. I made sure to drive a perfect I could to make up for it.

There was also a wave of confidence that hit me. The hardest part was over. Getting out on the road is tough in the first place, but hat intersection is the most difficult part on this course. But I passed it. Just drive, Eric.

And I did. Parking was stressful as parking will always be, but after I botched backing in on the right, I was able to fix it so that my parking job was good. Good enough.

We pulled over at the end of the course. I'm done. The instructor said the one thing I needed to hear. "Good job."

I passed.

As I rode the elevator up back to All Star's office, I was a mix of exhilaration and calm and confidence and fulfillment and peace.

This is for the driving instructor who told me I was going to fail. This is for the father who gave me nothing but a negative attitude and flawed driving techniques. This is for the brother that was done giving me rides. This is for the kid whose confidence was broken. This is for me.

My 1999 Maxima sits in the driveway in anticipation. I don't get my physical license until Tuesday, plus I have to get insured, but that doesn't matter much in the grand scheme of things.

I'm ready to go. I'm ready to get in a car, alone, and drive. Drive without scrutiny in my ear. Drive where I want to go, and how I want to get there. I'm ready to do this by myself.

I'm ready to grow up.

I got my driver's license.

I'm free.

He had Meth Arms.

Alright, here's the thing.

Bright Lights closed. I'm finished with road lessons. I've gone on vacation and came back.

I have some downtime.

I'm sort of at a loss for words. I don't know what to talk about. I'm grasping at straws here. I'm sure there's plenty of things in my life that could make for an interesting story. But I don't want to tell a story. I want to have a discussion. A present-tense, unedited discussion.

There's still so much I still have to do this summer. I've only read 100 pages out of the 5 pieces I have to read for AP Lit. I haven't even touched the actual work I have for AP French and Calc. As much as it irritates me that I have so much work that I have to do, my laziness inexplicably multiplies and none of it gets done. It's a vicious cycle.

My driving test is on Thursday. I was confident. I was confident. Up until my last road lesson. The instructor started off fine, relaxed even. I felt in control of this car. Comfortable. Something I hadn't felt while driving yet. But the man, the 5 foot, meth-armed, peanut-shaped-headed man progressively got more and more, I don't know... Douchey. He pointed out every little mistake I made. I understand that it's his job to prepare me for my test, but when the test is in five days, telling me that I'm going to fail it at this point is not preparing me at all. Whenever he criticized me on my driving, it made me lose focus, it made me get too wrapped up in my thoughts to really concentrate on the road underneath me. Which led to more mistakes. Which led to more criticism. This is another one of those vicious cycles I was talking about.

I can't fail my test. I start camp the week after, where I'll be driving to and from every day for three weeks. I've already driven on the course, it's not difficult. It's all comfortable speeds of 25 miles per hour, in wide lanes. I just need to feel confident in my ability again. And soon.

I'll get there.

Here I am world.

Let it be known: I am not dead. 

Just busy.

A slippery slope.

OK KIDS. So I was busy today: getting my haircut, goin g to BJs, and spending hours at Becca's. I'm sorry. But I will update tomorrow if I find time (I have a seven hour rehearsal for Bright Lights.) but I DO have topics to cover so it will be INTERESTIG. Remind me never to try to blog from an iPhone.

I'm a strong bitch but I'm a weak bitch.

And today is yet another usual summer day.

This is going to be a great summer. Endless pizza, America's Next Top Model marathons, this is what summer is to Eric Gomez. I can't pretend I'm going to have this Phineas-and-Ferb-crazy-adventurous summer vacation. Although I may have understated how busy of a summer it will be. Road lessons, vacations, Bright Lights, camp, my driving test (holy God!)  all while fitting in voice lessons where I can and seeing friends in the breaks I'm giving myself.

But there will be about three weeks of nothing. And this is when my diet will turn to pizza and freeze pops. This is when I inevitably fall asleep at 2 AM, wake up at 12 PM, hate myself for wasting my day but also love sleeping in. This is when I sing in my dingy basement even though it makes no difference whether I sing in my room or underground, my brother will still hear me. This is when I will pretend to shop for clothes online even though I know full and well I can't afford it.

This is when the blog posts get shorter; when I have nothing worthy of talking about to... talk about.

Tomorrow, I'll be better. I promise.

Because EVERYONE loves detail.

I told you I'd be back.

First, I just wanted to point out, Woodland has its own Wikipedia page. Like, who took out the time to write a page about our school? Who wants to have that kind of time?

Moving on. So, it's my second day of summer vacation. I should start reading the 4 books for AP Lit that I haven't actually bought yet, or listen to the French broadcasts for AP French, which God knows why I'm even continuing this language when I haven't learned anything since Mrs. Hiscox, or I should start the Calculus packet, which seems the least daunting of the three. But, no, I'm here. Typing away on the keyboard missing the X button, The Price is Right playing in the background, waiting for life to begin.

There's so much I want to tell you. There's so much I neglected to talk about in the past eight months.

In the fall our school did a production of Stagedoor. In the spring we did Once on This Island. We received 10 Halo award nominations, and we won Best Specialty Ensemble in a Musical, (that's me guys that's ME!)

Tech week is rapidly approaching for Bright Lights; which seems much more hectic than last year. We've had maybe a month of rehearsals and our director just left to do a show in the Adirondacks and there's so many little kids and ugh. But it's ok. It'll all be ok.

Graduation was yesterday. And now I can talk about it in detail. Because everyone loves detail.

It was hot. Hot. The temperature was in the high 90s, there wasn't a cloud in the sky, and the courtyard was flooded with sunlight. The only shadows to be found were the ones casted from the spectators.  But the heat was bearable. I survived. I survived.


The speeches ranged from the obligatory to the unexpected, to the originally-observational-and-witty-until-everyone-started-incorporating-YOLO-into-their-speech speeches. Chamber choir suffered from my ex-boyfriend's proximity to the microphone, who sounded uneasy and uncomfortable, and thus the entire chorus sounded uneasy and uncomfortable. The band was missing integral parts of both their sections and their spirits, as some chose not to come, and others chose to graduate. Well, not chose. But. Yea.

But these are just trivial parts of the evening. What I, and what I expect most everyone else, really came for was to see the seniors walk across the stage. It was strange. As much as I was upset that my friends were leaving, going off to respective colleges across the (predominantly New England area) country, I was also filled with a sense of closure. This is their final step as a high schooler. This is mine as a junior. This is me next year. This is them right now. This is okay. This is what's happening and this is the only way the future really happens, by accepting the present.

Of course, I will sorely miss the seniors that I call my friends, my best friends. To walk into Woodland next year missing such a large part of our spirit, will be a haunting and jolting realization. But, they aren't gone. They just aren't here. They're at college. They're growing up, they're finding themselves more than we ever could in these humid halls.

So, it's bittersweet.

But, hey, thank God it's summer amiright?

Equally unflattering as it is an 

accurate portrayal of our friendship. 

And they pull me back in.

Hey.

What's going on? With my life? What am I doing, writing on this blog that I haven't visited in eight months? On a laptop that's been chipped and cracked down to its bare bones? With unchecked notifications on the Facebook that I begrudgingly made four years ago? Why am I typing away when I know three people at most will see this (and I know exactly who), without a clear purpose as to what I'm really trying to say?

I'll tell you why. Feelings. My feelings are why I write.

My feelings are equivalent to this post: no clear subject; plot; direction. But, that's ok. Both these feelings and this post will not be forgotten, nor will they be concise. They're everywhere. 


I felt like I needed to write. I've felt like I've needed to write for a while now. It never really crossed my mind that unearthing dear old Gomezziblog was what I needed.

It didn't cross my mind until a downhill-sloped, out-of-breath-conversationed, took-longer-than-I-thought-it-would stroll down to Main Street with Sam. It was the last day of the carnival, where the entire population of Beacon Falls inexplicably congregates around the Fire House. The carnival in and of itself isn't impressive by any means. The rides haven't been inspected by engineers in years, decades even. There is never a seat to be found. The fried dough you order never seems as good as the person's before your's. But the carnival isn't entirely a noun, it's a verb. To carnival. To walk across the carnival grounds and say hi to nearly every friend in the sophomore class. To take a picture in front of Ms. Shove's band to earn extra credit on your English final.

Anyway, Sam and I passed the carnival as she led me to a spot behind the "Fun" House, which looks more terrifying than fun. At least I've always thought so. There was a ground of red bricks, stone benches, and trees that reminded me all too much of our school's courtyard. I thought to myself This is a pretty space. But we didn't sit down. We didn't pause. She led me down a metal staircase where the toes sticking out of my flip-flops were met with sand. Water streamed ahead of us. A beach? In Beacon Falls?


Well, beach is probably too big of a stretch for inland Connecticut. It was a short patch of sand that met the Naugatuck river.

And Sam and I just stood there, backs resting against the silver fence. Sam keeps a journal that she writes daily entries in. I've always kind of been jealous, of how she can just jot down her feelings of the day's events, and it's there forever. She'll never forget the disbelief on our faces when Nick guessed the correct date on the milk carton in an intense game of Dicecapades. She'll never forget our wildly inappropriate responses to Why Did the Chicken.

I talked about my wanting to write again. How I never do anymore. How I feel like I need to. And that's when Gomezziblog entered the conversation.

That's why I'm here right now.

I wrote a little too much than I planned to. I started this post at 9:17 PM. It's now 10:00 PM on the nose. And there's still so much I want to talk about. I want to talk about graduation. I want to talk about how I'm sort-of-almost-kind-of-not-really-but-I-will-be a senior. I want to talk about the goodbyes I'll inevitably have to give. I want to talk about how I've changed in the past three years. I want to talk about my future. I want to talk about the present.

But somehow I got caught up in writing about the past. Woops.

Until tomorrow,
Eric.

This Was Not Very Raven

Welp. Here I am again.

I know, I've neglected you. I know, it's been months, I know, I've posted twice in all of 2011. But baby, I always keep coming back to you.

I don't really know why I decided to, though. I always have this urge to write. But I never really do. And this is why I'm confused.

There is just a lot coming at me at times. Growing up is stupid. The numerous trips to the DMV, rescheduling trips to the DMV, getting calls from my dad about the newest reason why he couldn't bring me to the DMV. Luckily that's all over with, I have my permit and I'm ready to HIT THE ROAD. Or the road is ready to hit me. Or I'm ready to hit everything.

I'm going to an open house tomorrow at WestConn. Western Connecticut State University. University, as in college. That's not cool. Like, I really don't think I'll have many problems adjusting or devising my major or anything, I just don't want to do all that. I'm perfectly happy not changing at all. It's not a good thing, to have such disdain over change, I know that. But it's something I've always had.

I hate saying goodbyes to things. I don't wanna say goodbye to my home, my friends, my life. I know I have a year and a half left still, but that's not the same for everyone. Knowing that the times I have left with my friends who are seniors are limited sucks. And I know one day I'll come back and read this and think how odd that I wrote saying goodbye to seniors as sucking, when future me is going to know what it's like to say goodbye to his junior friends, his sophomore friends, his friends of every age and ethnicity (well, mostly Caucasian.) And future me is going to roll his eyes at these jokes, give an embarrassed half-giggle, like, "Wow Eric, you used to think you were just so funny." But really. The future is like, upon us.

The future is like, upon us guys.

So this is pretty weird. But anyways, things are just, yea.

Wanna hear good things?

-We've had this entire week off because of power outages.

-I went to see In the Heights today and I ran into MacKenzie, who I haven't seen in months, and I was so happy because I miss her like crazy.

-My hair looks pretty good today.

And so with that, I say farewell. Talk to you later, in about 7 months or something.

I'm Busy

Remember when I blogged? Those were the days, my friend. Back when life was simpler, everything was beautiful, and nothing hurt. Yea, good times.

I will admit, not all of that has changed exactly. Most everything is still beautiful, most nothing is hurt, but life, oh man has it gotten more complicated. Rehearsals for Bright Lights start Sunday, a fact that's rather upsetting as I'll have to go alone, without Mary, who suggested I audition with her, but in a twist of fate is now in Wales for the next nine days. Meetings for the National World Language Honor Society began last week, our initiation ceremony is the 28th. I've signed up for Woodland for Women Worldwide, an organization at my school that works to end sex trafficking all around the world, and we're doing pretty well. The Run for a Revolution put on by us is on the 21st of May, in which I'll be participating in a 2-mile walk. To prepare, Erika, Alyssa, Kate and I plan on walking together once a week (this week was postponed due to rain and Erika's not being at her house where we're supposed to meet. So.) On top of all this, there will be occasional and spontaneous meetings with the Drama club, for pizza-party-DVD-viewing gatherings to watch our production of Jesus Christ Superstar (oh, how I miss it!), discussing what we're going to do next year in terms of organizing, and a few rehearsals, as our cast is performing a song at the Halo Awards, as well as being eligible for awards (nominations aren't out yet.) And lastly, Emmaus starts on May 6th, and I can't be more excited. I just *am.* The potluck is on the 2nd I believe.

So yea, I've got a lot going on. But I think I'll be okay.

My miscellaneous projects for myself are getting there. The lyrics for Twins: A New Musical are near completed, just a couple more songs I need to write. I think I may have found the Lowdermilk to my Kerrigan. As in, I've found a composer for my lyrics. Erika plays piano and has been working on her own instrumentals, and I've been working on my own lyrics. And she's already been working on the backings for a song or two (not from the musical, I believe.) So that's really good.

I've also been adding a few songs to my catalog for a way-off-into-the-distant-future song cycle that could be done as my senior project. Nothing too impressive, don't worry.

You know what I just noticed? I'm not funny anymore.

Toothless Whores.

Well. This is awkward.

I know, I haven't posted since, like, last year. But hey, it happens. I've just kind of stopped blogging in general for a while. I don't really know why, but it's probably along the lines of me being lazy, and blogging requires some unrecognized effort.

But I feel like blogging today, because a certain "Samantha Martin", her magnificent entries, and general being inspire me.

So, here we are again. It's a friday night that feels like a tuesday, it's 20 degrees but feels like 50, and I'm thinking about things.

Maybe I could just kind of talk about my current projects?

Well, there's ANV

And Jesus Christ Superstar (I was cast as King Herod. Yay for being an awkward , flamboyant king who is constantly surrounded by drag queens. :T )

And constant analyzing over the current Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark debacle.

And finishing mid-terms, ending two of my favorite classes, and starting two new ones.

And probably the project I'm most proud of as of yet is TW!NZ: A New Musical. (Title is tentative, further details will be slowly leaked via internet resources.)

But I will leave you with this little gem.

"SAM: You'll ruin it

CAIT: How?

SAM: You'll tare it

You'll lose it

You'll rip it

Or more

CAIT: You toothless whore"

And with that, I'll be off. Because it feels like I've been writing this post for a half an hour, only to result in a total of 10 minutes and a couple paragraphs that will inevitably look much, much smaller than that when it's posted.

Stay beautiful.

Things I'm Thankful For

An annual* post on Thanksgiving about things that I'm thankful for. This is a variation of the long-forgotten Things I Love Thursdays.

*Annual? I can't even make something weekly. But I digress.

Things I am Thankful For:

- My iPod, full of brilliant music by Kait Kerrigan and Brian Lowdermilk, and Scott Alan.

-Phone calls with Alicia where we talk about everything, and how we constantly acknowledge that we tell each other everything.

-Staying up until midnight talking to Cait Jean Schwind when we both have homework we should have done hours earlier.

-My advisory, we're pretty awesome.

-My family.

-Youtube, so I can watch As Told by Ginger until I fall asleep.

-My Buddy the Elf costume, for making family gatherings extra awkward.

-My adorable cat.

-The fact that I seem to be in the right place in the right time, all the time.

-All of my amazing friends: Alicia, Angela, Danielle, Kasey, Nick, Josh, Hannah, Kelly, Chris, Olivia, Chrissy, Whitney, Jami, Becca, Cait, Sam, Rex, Rhiannon, Kate, Kim, Mary, Lindsay, Kimber, Chelsea, Kevin, Sydney, Kayleigh, Laura, Patrick, and every other awesome person who's name slipped my mind.

So, that's what I'm thankful for.

The Best Night of My Life

So, this Sunday my mom and I went up to Boston to see Wicked. It was the best night of my life, so I felt I should explain exactly why by reviewing the show.

INFORMATION:

Wicked- 10/10/10- First National Tour

Boston, MA- Boston Opera House, Evening Performance (7:30)

Glinda- Lauren Ashley Zakrin (u/s)

Elphaba- Jackie Burns

Nessarose- Stefanie Brown

Boq- Etai Benshlomo

Madame Morrible- Randy Danson

Doctor Dillamond- Steven Skybell

Fiyero- Richard H. Blake

The Wizard- Gene Weygandt

On our way to the theater (We walked .3 miles from the hotel) we met a couple from Europe. They needed to know the way to the Boston Opera House. The man had a Yamaka on his head, with a design of the Boston Red Sox on it.

My mom and I got in the theater front lobby at around 6:30. And then the crowd started piling in. At 7 the lobby doors entered for the main lobby. We had a half an hour to shop, and find our seats. At first I didn't really want to buy anything, but then I bought the program (mainly a book of pictures) and a zip-up track-jacket (which was a whopping 65$.) We made our way to the seats, row B, Mezzanine, seats 101 and 103 (all the seats are odd numbered. As to why, I don't know.) I asked the usher (an elderly lady, of all people) for an extra Playbill, but she just kind of walked away. I made it a point to get an extra one from another usher.

The lights dimmed and I couldn't believe my eyes. There's so many things to look at on stage, things you'd never see from a video on YouTube. The way the skim glistens emerald, the projection of Elphaba melting. The ensemble's collective voices flowed together seamlessly. Galinda made her entrance on her bubble. Her dress is so sparkely. You'd never get that from YouTube.

I'll take this time to point out how wonderful Lauren Ashley Zakrin did at playing G(a)linda. When I opened my playbill to see the slip of paper saying Glinda would be played by the understudy, I was so excited. I do love Chandra Lee Schwatz, the lead, but it was a definite good surprise. Lauren Ashley was an Elle and Margot understudy in Legally Blonde the musical, as well as being a contestant and 3rd runner up in the reality show Legally Blonde: Search for Elle Woods.

You wouldn't have even been able to tell she wasn't the lead. She had such star-power on stage. Her soprano was pure and soft at the beginning, but as the story progressed her voice sounded much more mature and layered. I guess that contributes to how talented of an actress she was. Her transition from bubbly and young Galinda to heartbroken, mature Glinda was flawless. Everything was real. Her comedic acting was genius, doing things I've never seen other Glindas do.

Jackie Burns also did a tremendous job as Elphaba. Her voice is the best I've heard out of, well, anyone. Her acting was top notch, and made the role of Elphaba layered and 3 dimensional, and just made the audience fall in love with her.

Jackie's first song, The Wizard and I, was full of energy and beautiful belting. Her vibrato echoed throughout the theater. Her talent is undeniable.

The next song, What is this Feeling, was hilarious. Both actresses' comedic timing was spot on. At this point, Lauren was still singing softer and lighter, so when they belted, Jackie was more overpowering. But she made up for her lack of volume with her body language and delivery.

Dancing Through Life was a great group number. Richard H Blake as Fiyero commanded the cast and showed how great of a performer he was. Etai Benshlomo as Boq was so capivating. A great example of how a good actor makes any part a good part. Stefanie Brown played Nessa as a sweet girl, who was merely a victim of things beyond her control, like her sister Elphaba. Randy Danson's delivery of the lines "...I doubt you will" was one that I haven't heard anyone else say like that, which is always a pleasant surprise. Lauren and Jackie showed a lot of chemistry during the dance scene, and it felt really heartwarming.

Popular was shear genius on Lauren Ashley Zakrin's part. She really took her own spin on everything, and began showing how she can belt as well, on par with Jackie. Everything about how she characterized Glinda was perfect, funny, and touching. I don't know why she's only an understudy, really.

Jackie Burns played Elphaba differently in I'm Not that Girl. While other actresses chose to make Elphaba more somber and disappointed, she really thought about how Elphaba could react. She made Elphaba kind of convincing herself she can't love others, instead of accepting that he loves someone else. It makes Elphaba much more worldly and mature than others. Instead of going for the very low note at the end, she instead chose a much higher note, which I thought was a good choice, because it sounded beautifully and ended it with a little more hope than other renditions.

One Short Day was a spectacle. The scenery was much more impressive in person. I didn't know what to look at, the costumes, the actors, or the set.

The Wizard, Gene Weygandt, did a much more appealing job in the role than I had expected. Usually I tune out when I hear the Wizard's songs, but his voice is so interesting and his acting was pure.

Now, for my favorite song, ever. Defying Gravity. I was practically shaking in excitement, and Jackie did not disappoint. Her voice never cracked, never went out of tune, never stopped. The last two minutes of Defying Gravity were the best two minutes of my life. Her belt is to die for, and her riffs were spot on. She didn't over do it, but she did do everything for us, the audience. The lighting was also something to see. No video ever captured the lighting. The way the blue/purple/yellow lights shimmered on the cape, the black circle around Elphaba, everything was perfect. My mom was tearing up when it came time for intermission. Everyone was blown away.

Thank Goodness really showed Lauren Ashley Zakrin's amazing belt. This song alone showed how much Lauren got Glinda to change in character. She's much more mature and can handle things better. She belted every high note while keeping her body language in tact. She never gave up the character for her voice, and vice versa, which worked successfully for both parts.

As Long as Your Mine was impressive. Richard H Blake was on his game that night, vocally. He did some higher-pitched riffs I've never heard him do before. Their chemistry was so believable. Their voices meshed seamlessly. You heard them both as one.

The Catfight scene was hilarious. Little things that Lauren did, like looking back at the house while talking about Nessa, and the pouts and her grunts, made the character so real. Their quips back and forth were perfectly timed.

No Good Deed was perhaps one of the best things I've ever heard. Jackie was so good at showing how Elphaba was becoming crazy. She never broke character. Every emotion, every word was real. Her voice was especially stunning. Her belt on Fiyero was clear. Her movements and sound on the last "Again" were so haunting, but beautiful. She truly was wicked.

For Good was especially touching. Lauren and Jackie's voices were so pure and emotional. I really did feel moved, even thought I heard this song so many times before. Even the smallest things on the set, like the candle that at the start was burning brightly, but at the end of the song was burnt out, were right. Everything was perfect. Elphaba's melting scene was tragic. Glinda's reaction was even more tragic. Both women performed beautifully in that string of scenes.

The scene between the Wizard, Glinda, and Morrible was humorous, but serious. They all played their parts till the end, never cracking up or giving up. Everyone was on their game in that scene, especially Lauren.

Finale was so moving and beautiful and perfect and every other adjective I've used in this review. It gave such a great ending to such a great story. While tragic and somber, it still gives those glimpses of hope and healing that we all originally thought of Oz with.

At the end, after the curtain call, Jackie delivered the BC/EFA speech. She's such a funny person outside of character. I'll try to copy down everything she said.

"Hi everyone. *factual information* There will be cast members barricading the doors, trapping you in until you give up your money. If everyone in this audience just donates 2 dollars, we could raise, what, 50,000 dollars?" *from the row behind her, Richard H Blake holds up five fingers and whispers, $5,000* Jackie continues, "$5,000, thank you Richard. And you can give us this money by cash, check, or your children. And it's all tax deductible! So that's good. For 20$ you can be entered in a raffle to join us on stage one night, and for $50 you'll receive a poster signed by the cast. So please donate. Thanks, guys!"

On our way out, my mom donated $50 dollars and I got a signed poster. I was beyond ecstatic. My room is going to look so awesome.

So, that's the best night of my life. Any questions?

A Summary of Summer: Addendum 1: Wii, Water Polo, and Whitney's Pool Party

Alliteration! Whoo. If you couldn't tell by my clever, informative title, yesterday I went to Whitney's pool party. It was actually a lot of fun. There isn't much to really cover, because we basically just sat in the pool for the entire time. But, here's some key points:

1. Angela tripped on stone.

2. Kate is a beast.

3. I met Chloe and Amanda.

4. We played keep-away with a beach ball, it was 3 guys (Matt, Patrick, and me) against 4 girls (Kate, Angela, Whitney, and Brianna.) And we so won.

5. We played Water Polo... Baaaad idea. The teams were: Matt, Patrick, Brianna and me, against Whitney, Amanda, Kate, and Chloe. Angela was the referee until she had to go. We won 21-9. :D

6. Chloe kind of tried to kill whoever got near the ball. Her strategy didn't work, because we won epically, but still. Patrick looked like he was mauled by a bear.

7. Whitney finally added me on Facebook! After a year and a half...

8. I met Brianna's new puppy Angus. He's a Scottish Terrier, smaller than a cat, and *adorable.*

9. Matt cut his foot open on the side of the walkway of the pool. When he went into the pool later, he wore a sock.

10. My brother got lost when he picked me up, so I left 30 minutes later than everyone else. Whitney and I played Wii Sports Resort... In which I failed.

And that concludes this post. G'night, everybody.

Ignore the fact that it is quarter of 5.

A Summary of Summer: Badminton, Licorice, Zappos, oh my!

Well, hi there, blogosphere. It's been quite the long time, hasn't it?

I would like to tell you that I have been absent here because too many interesting things have happened, I'm very busy, I gained a social life, my internet stopped being a badass, etc.

But I can't. Because I haven't blogged because I'm just too damned lazy.

However, that doesn't mean the above excuses aren't true, because in some aspects, they are. I've been busier this summer more than ever, really. I guess that qualifies as gaining a social life? I'll expand on this later.

And yes, my internet *did* stop being a badass. For the past 2 months and a day that I've been in my new house, good ol' Linksys has been bipolar, really. Nobody from AT&T can fix it. I've suggested to my mom that we get Hughes Net, but for some reason, she's waiting.

And now for my social life... Where should I begin?

Danielle and I are trying to watch the entire Pokemon series. We've only watched 19 episodes, and have yet to get together over 2 times. We've just been busy/lazy.

Angela had a bonfire in early July. We Munchkin skipped, collected BeeBees, and threw fireworks into the firepit. It was epic.

Rhiannon came over the week after. We went to McDonalds, because it had been 5 years since she last went. (Her parents are organic, and I live to defy authority.) We walked back home, which was like Whoah!, because I don't walk.

Makenzie, Angela, Jami and I went to see Eclipse in theater. I'd just like to point out that I've neither read nor seen anything Twilight, I saw it before my sister who loves Twilight, and I liked it. What?

I went to Makenzie's Sweet 16. There wasn't many guys. Angela called Twizzlers 'Licorice', so I couldn't help but continue calling them Licorice from now on.

Josh and I went to a New Britain Rockcats game. (Minor league team, in which players, hopefully, move up to the Baltimore Orioles.) I lost my 20 dollars (which Josh later found at his house.) We watched a TiVo'ed episode of SNL, the one with Betty White (and boy, do I love Betty White.) We also played Badminton (which I lost, non-surprisingly.)

On the 4th of July, Angela, Jami and I went to Alicia's. I don't think I can actually say Jami 'went' there, because she practically lives at Alicia's. We played Badminton, which I redeemed myself from Josh's. They all made me go on the slip n' slide while there was *no water* on it. And it *hurt.* Oh, and speaking of hurting, Alicia's niece, Victoria, is vicious. She's like a Russian torturer, but 7.

I went to Maine with my brother and dad. It was not the most fun experience ever. It had its moments, like riding ATVs, eating at The Blue Moose, going to my first Pizza Hut ever (which wasn't really that good), and bonding with the baby birds in the porch. But overall, I'd rather I didn't go.

Our family had a combination Amanda's graduation party/Marc's 21st brithday party/I invited some friends because my mom pitied me. Rhiannon, Kate, and Makenzie came. Makenzie brought homemade scones, and they were *delicious.* Rhiannon, Kate and I played volleyball. Zachary and Amanda came up to watch. Later, Amanda told me Zachary wanted to watch because he had a crush on Rhiannon. We played the laziest version of whiffle ball, in which the bases were two feet apart. It was team Rhiannon and Kate versus team Eric and Makenzie. Each home-run was an out, because we're too lazy to get the ball, and we only had three different ones. I think we tied. We all talked for a while, and then Makenzie had to leave early. Kate, Rhiannon and I played Botchi for a while until they had to go.

On the 30th, I went to Olivia's birthday party. It was weird because it was the first party I went to in which there was a large portion of people I didn't know. The only people I was friends with before the party were Jami, Kim, and Olivia obviously. I kind of knew Lee because we had Art Skills together, but we didn't really talk until that day. I knew of Cassie from Danielle, and she was in Into the Woods, but again, we never talked. Lee turned out to be really nice, and Cassie is just awesome. And then there were people from Olivia's old school/other people she knew. I met Michael, Emily, and Casey from her old school. Michael is a little type-A, but he's nice. Emily and Casey were cool as well. I killed a fly with an electric fly swatter, and it landed on Emily. Oops. I also met Megan, who just graduated. She's going to spend next year in a student-stay program in Sweden, then she's going to college in Wisconsin. She's so awesome.

On the first of August, my sister, mother, and I went to Walnut Beach in Milford. I never really liked the beach, but I actually had a fun time. I sat on a rock, where the waves crashed onto it. I asked my mom "Do I remind you of a certain mermaid?" My sister and I went into the ocean. She was going to dunk under, but she was scared so she made me hold her hand, which result in many laughs from my mom. She never went under. I, however, in an attempt to float without standing, couldn't get back up, and ended up going under multiple times from waves and such. Which resulted in even more laughter from my mom. We're planning on going back multiple times this summer. I get my first sunburn of the summer, and I'm proud of it.

So, that's how my summer has been so far: relatively amazing. Sure, there are setbacks, like Maine, and mowing my grandparents' lawn every Thursday, but I can deal. At least after I mow, I get to watch Golden Girls with my nana.

There is a thing going on currently called BEDA: Blog Every Day in August. I've decided to not to it, because, I virtually Blog Every Day in September, October, November, December, January, February, March, April, May, and June. I get my summers off.

Which online shopping network loves me?: Zappos.com

Average time I fall asleep: 2 AM.

Days until school: Somewhere between 28-30.

Softball & Explaining & Stuff

Ok, today was our softball team's last home game. This is what went down...

My sister pitched the entire game. Katie, our lead pitcher who is recovering from an appendectomy, decided not to pitch, and instead was a DH (designated hitter.) After the first inning, the score was 2-1, Seymour (our main rival, whom of which we previously beat 1-0) was winning. A couple of innings goes by, and Aubrey hits an in-the-park home-run. It was Woodland's first home run of the season. After a couple innings, the score is 7-3, Seymour still ahead. Angie hits an in-the-park homerun also. Flashforward some more to the final inning.

It's 10-5, bottom of the 7th (the last inning in softball), and Seymour is still winning. A rally starts. My sister actually hits the ball well, and we score some more. With no outs, the score at this point is 10-8. Lindsey hits the ball hard, and it goes deep into the outfield. Lindsey is our best runner, so she's pretty fast. Another runner was on the base in front of her, but because she isn't as fast, Lindsey ends up almost right behind her. When they realize they're both on third base, one of them starts to run home, and Lindsey runs back to second. We score one more run, and Lindsey is tagged out. The score is 10-9. Someone else gets out from a caught ball. Then Aubrey is up. There's two outs, one person on base, bottom of the last inning. Aubrey previously hit a home-run, so the outfields are almost against our fence (which is 275 feet deep, more than pretty much every other field in our league.) She ends up getting a groundball, and is out. We lost by 1.

So the question was still up in the air: Who wins the division? At the moment in time, there's a three-way tie for first of the Brass Division: Us (total record 17-3) , Wolcott (17-3) , and Seymour (16-4). First they look at in-league records, in which we're all tied with only 3 losses. The next tie-breaker is out-of-league. Seymour is out because they lost against Ansonia, who is out of our league, the other night, whereas Wolcott and Woodland haven't lost against an out-of-league team. Then total record, which Wolcott and Woodland are also tied. Next is runs for/runs against ratio. We are also tied. So finally, it is our latest game. Since the results of the Seymour game weren't known yet, we both last played against Holy Cross. Wolcott lost, whereas we beat them with runs to spare.

So, that's how we won the division.

Next up is the NVL's, which is the top 2 teams of each league. Woodland and Wolcott will be in it, as well as 6 other teams. It's a one-loss-you're-out tournament, so it's pretty intense. Regardless of our results in the NVL's, we will also be participating in States. The only qualifications is to have 8 or more wins, in which we have more than twice that amount.

This was the best softball season that Woodland has ever had. Our team will be getting their respective banner in the gymnasium. It's sad that this is my sister's last softball season, since she's not planning on continuing in college. But, I suppose after 15 years of pitching and hitting, she deserves her rest.