The Lion King

Recently I had the extreme privilege of getting to go see Disney Presents: The Lion King, live in Boston.


It was absolutely amazing! I'm a huge fan of Broadway shows and all things musical, and I've been lucky enough to get to see quite a few professional productions. The Lion King was one of the best shows I've ever seen.

Firstly, the costumes were breathtaking. In the opening number, there was literally an elephant coming down the aisles; I couldn't believe my eyes! There were gazelles, rhinos, zebras, a leopard, and, of course, lions. Each piece was beautifully constructed and made the shows so exciting to watch. Even without the wonderful music, acting, and dancing, the show would have been a spectacle due to the costumes alone.

Then there was the opening of the show itself. The curtain went up to reveal a stage, empty except for one woman dressed up as a fabulous Rafiki. In the silence, she paused, took us in, and then began. "Naaaa..." And "The Circle of Life" began. That opening song/scene alone would have been worth the cost of my ticket. The voices of the people in the cast were, obviously, incredibly strong. The entire cast was on stage in their animal costumes and it was absolutely breathtaking.

As the show continued, all of the memorable songs from the movie were present, which was wonderful. But what was really great was that there were actually new songs added as well, which I also loved. The entire show was not only the story of the The Lion King, but also a beautiful celebration of African culture. I loved every second of it!

Reflections Before My Sophomore Year

As I'm sitting here right now writing this, I'm feeling very reflective. It happens sometimes. I'm just thinking back on things that have happened, and am looking forward to things to come. As I look forward, my mind keeps settling on thoughts about my upcoming sophomore year of college.

Wow. That sounds crazy. Sophomore year of college?! I can't believe I'm already at this point in my life. I've been through middle school, high school, and have one year of college under my belt. It's a lot to think about.

I feel like sophomore year is going to be great. There won't be that awkward beginning, when you don't know anyone and you feel sort of uncomfortable and out of place. You immediately go in knowing you have friends, which makes it easier and exciting! You also know what to expect in way of classes, professors, extracurriculars. You've done a year, so you feel like an old pro.

So I am excited to go back. Really excited. I also hope to make new friends this year. Just because I made friends last year and found my niche doesn't mean I have to close off to new people. On the contrary, I hope to meet at least some new people every year of college. The desperation for friends that fueled first semester of freshman year is gone, and now it's just the excitement of newness.

I can't wait to get back.

A Love for the Medieval

I have many interests; communications, public relations, anthropology...the list goes on & on. One of my more specified interests is medieval history - what a fascinating period of time!

 There's a certain romance to the period; the ideas of knights in shining armor, chivalry, princesses, adventure. It's truly captivating.

While in college, I'm planning to delve into medieval studies research. I think it would be so exciting to travel to Europe and tour medieval castles and really investigate the period. What's really great is that most of my colleges that I'm considering actually offer some sort of medieval studies program, either as a minor or a certificate. I'm definitely going to look into that at whatever college I end up in.

Everyone has varying interests, and medieval history is one of mine. I'm very excited to begin studying it officially!

College Decisions

One of the best feelings in the world is the feeling of happiness & relief you feel when you get a college acceptance letter in the mail. I've been lucky enough so far to have gotten into five of my seven colleges, which makes me feel great!

I can't wait to go to college. The freedom is what I'm most excited for; having the ability to make my own decisions about how I want to spend my time. I can take my classes, do my homework, but then use the rest of my time to do whatever I want! I'm super excited for that.

I'm also really excited to start taking classes in my majors, so I can start focusing on learning what I really want to learn instead of having to learn everything like in high school.

I can't wait to embark on the college adventure - I still don't know where I'm going, but I can't wait to find out! :)

Book Review!!!!!!!!

Hey World!!!!!!! Today I'm going to be very intellectual and wise and write a book review......well, maybe not intellectual and wise, but I am going to write a book review!!!!!!

Recently I've been reading the first book in the Heather Wells series by Meg Cabot, titled Size 12 is Not Fat. If the title hasn't already got you hooked, then you're probably considerably smaller than a size 12.
 
This is one of those books that is simply a pleasure to read. It is written well, and the main character is spunky, lively, and vivacious; I kind of wish she was real so we could hang out!!!!

On to plot: the story is about Heather Wells, a 28-year-old woman who is, obviously, a size 12. When Heather was a teenager, she was a famous pop star - think Britney Spears, except not perhaps as famous. However, she ended up breaking up with her boy band finance after catching him cheating, losing her recording contract after asking if she could sing her own material, and losing all her money when her mother ran off to Argentina. So now Heather works in a residence hall at New York College, attempting to fulfill a six-month probationary period before enrolling in the college and getting access to a cheaper degree. She's living with the attractive, intelligent older brother of her ex; not in a romantic way, as he's her landlord (she's majorly in love with him though). This is the basic background; sound sort of boring? Well, it's not!!!!! Because it's also a MURDER MYSTERY!!!!!! Girls in her dorm are dying, and Heather's playing super snoop!!!!!! I won't say any more, but trust me, it's really good! Plus it's a series, so there'll be more!

I love this book, so definitely give it a shot - I swear you'll love it, whether you're a size 0 or 28!!!!!!!!! :)

A Round of Applause!

Last night, I had the pleasure of seeing Billy Elliot:The Musical live on stage. What an incredible experience! There really is nothing like professional theater.




Having always been a BIG fan of the original movie Billy Elliot, starring Jamie Bell, I admit that I was a little apprehensive about its transition to the musical stage. After all, Broadway musicals, while being fabulous, are known for their singing, dancing, and, mainly, their excessive cheesiness. How would a poignant, sometimes funny but sometimes very serious, moving story such as Billy Elliot be altered to work on Broadway?

As it turned out, exceedingly well! The music was dramatic, harmonic, and very, very LOUD (in a good way). The dancing blew my mind, both Billy's as well as the hilarious and talented ensemble. The  comedy was not overdone, but was perfect for a live audience (for example, the riotous "Expressing Yourself" in which Billy and his best friend Michael dress up in women's clothing and tap dance!); and the poignancy still resounded in the tear-jerking scenes between Billy and his memory of his deceased mother.

I was moved to tears, laughs, and getting on my feet to dance along throughout the course of the night. I would definitely recommend this musical for anyone who wants a fun night out at the theater; but please note that this is not really a kid's show, as the swearing and occasional "adult" themes made it a little awkward for parents of young ones in the audience. But if you're "born to boogie" and feel the desire to "express yourself", buy up tickets now and get ready to feel the "electricity"! :)

A Not-So-Guilty Pleasure

I'm a teenage girl, so I love watching TV shows that "get" me; you know, they're set in a high school, with cute boys, fun fashions, and lots and lots of drama. There are many shows out there that attempt to hit that perfect balance of over-dramatic television scenarios and realistic, every day life. One that I feel may have missed the mark on that mix but is still one of my all-time favorite shows is native to Canada: Degrassi.

Yes, I know what you're all thinking: That's a TERRIBLE show!!!!! And, yes. I agree that it is not really that good of a show. It's completely over the top in the drama department, the stories are tired and old, and sometimes the acting is sub-par. Well, a lot of the time, actually.

But I still cannot stop watching this show. I am obsessed and not afraid to say so. It's so addicting that when it's not available to me, I literally feel like I am missing an important and vital part of my life. It's so ridiculous but yet it's SO GOOD!!!! Every single episode (including the season finales) ends with at least one cliffhanger, so you are forced to make the impossibly difficult choice of  climbing back up to watch the next episode or season or choosing to give up on the show and therefore forever be questioning, "What did that kiss between Claire and Eli mean for their relationship?????" (Luckily, they're back together; sorry for the spoiler!)

So feel free to laugh at the hilarity of this never-ending teenage spectacle; I know I do. Then, after laughing over and rehashing every single second of that day's thirty-minute episode, with my fellow Degrassi obsessies, I hurry home to turn on TeenNick to find out what in the WORLD is coming next at Degrassi Community School. Pregnancies, STIs, bullying, or just regular teenage angst abound; but we the couch potatoes as well as the wonderful, captivating high schoolers on TV can all proudly join together in Degrassi's truly inspirational anthem: "Whatever it takes, I know I can make it through". With Degrassi to guide me, I know I'll "be the best that I can be"! :)