If You Don't Like the Weather in New England, Turn Your Back for Fifteen Seconds and then Look Out the Window Again

Percy Jackson:

After completing the first book of the series, I was ready to see the movie. Unfortunately, just about every single plot point of the book was changed. Lame. And by "just about every," I mean it seemed as if someone systematically went through the book, and said lets see how we can take this scene that was kinda awesome, and turn it into something unrecognizable and not quite as cool.

And then there was Uma's severed snake-haired head being tossed around throughout the film. Which is a different matter entirely.

Fantastic.

Visiting Extravaganza

My brother Rustin came for the weekend. Twas good fun. We ate a pound of honey mustard/sweet onion barbeque wings (oh. my. god.), and once we were able to move again, proceeded to bond further by harassing strangers on chat roulette. We then galavanted around Merrill while Rustin rap battled strangers and lectured them about economic hit men.

Goodbye Ruby Tuesday

While watching The Royal Tenenbaums during my 10 - 2 AM shift on Friday night, I realized two things:

1. I actually quite enjoy that film. A lot. I didn't used to, but after rewatching it years later, I changed my mind rather strongly. Developments such as these make me fear that my inner hipster is devouring my brain. This frightens me to no end.

2. When the song "Ruby Tuesday" by the Rolling Stones came on in the background of a scene, I discovered that I have always really loved that song and just never thought about it. Now I think about it a lot. Because it has been stuck in my head for the past three days.

Typewriting Inquiries

So as it turns out, my typewriter works fine for the most part. One predicament, however, is that when I type, the ribbon spool doesn't turn, which ends with holes being punched straight through the ribbon. As I have never had an antique typewriter before, I don't quite know how this works. I assume it is supposed to turn as I type, but if I was supposed to be turning it by hand I'm going to feel like a bit of an idiot. So if you a). know how to fix this, or b.) know what I am doing wrong, I would greatly appreciate the advice.

An Additional Tidbit: My typewriter's name is decidedly Samson.

Participation Attempt, Take Two

Though I gave up on the prompt idea, I did get a few answers a bit after the fact. So I'll post another one, if anyone feels like answering it. Again, you can post on here or on the facebook link.

Prompt: While reading the Bible for class, I was struck by a line that an angel says when asked his name. He chastised "Why do you ask my name? It is too wonderful."

What name would you consider to be worthy of being "too wonderful" to repeat? Can it even exist?

I will leave you with this super cool picture. I don't even know how one would go about putting together something like this:

Love,

GennaRose

So Much for Vampires Being Indestructible

Another Hometown Visit

1.

I am currently sitting in the Twilight Tea Lounge, writing and sipping Mexican chocolate tea, and realized something; if all of my thoughts, feelings, wishes, and imaginings could manifest themselves into a physical space, it would look exactly like the Tea Lounge. Being in here feels like crawling inside my own chest and curling up there for a while. Mismatched tea cups, jars of dried herbs housed in glass jars stacked ceiling high, paper lanterns and white lights strung across walls, and bookshelves piled with notes, paperbacks, and board games-- if one were to ever wonder what it is like to wander through my mind, just stop here, order strawberry cream tea, play a game of scrabble, and write a poem. That's all you'll ever need to know.

2.

The reason for my visit home was to see my old high school's production of the musical Crazy for You. It was quite an impressive show, complete with tap dancing show girls, harmonious cowboys, really delightfully terrible puns, awkward lap dance situations, and breaking stuff in half. All essentials in any successful play, of course. But yes, well done!

Plus, it's also always fun to be that super awkward person who graduated but still hangs around for some ungodly reason. You know the one-- everyone wonders what the hell you are doing there, and feels kind of uncomfortable about your presence. Yeah, that one. My dear friend Shannon and I felt the urge to play that roll this weekend. Which we did. Quite thoroughly.

3.

Upon arriving home, my father said to me, "Oh, by the way-- when you asked if we had an old typewriter, and I said no, I lied. Turns out we do. You can have it."

Oh. My. Goodness. I have a new best friend.

It needs some work, but all of the keys function properly and such. Aaaahhhh yes. Happiness.

I think it needs a name. I'm leaning towards some kind of natural disaster, like Cyclone or Pompeii. Or maybe a planet. Like Pluto (yes, Pluto is a planet goddamnit). Or perhaps something more like Rufus or Quentin. Oh lord, too many choices. Naming things is always quite an undertaking for me...

4.

I read Loose Woman by Sandra Cisneros during my Friday 10 - 2 shift a few days ago. Though I hadn't really liked her work in the past, I loved her poetry. It is very fresh and succinct. Accessible. I highly recommend it.

5.

While home, my brother decided that he needed to introduce me to Chat Roulette, despite my adamant and squeamish opposition (If you don't know what Chat Roulette is, it connects you to a random person via webcam... Many unpleasant encounters ensue). However, this argument ended in the two of us reading Hop on Pop by Dr. Suess aloud to a stranger with a large beard. He appreciated it. Oh sibling bonding...

6.

No one responded to my prompt in the last entry. Seriously lame, guys, come on. But I'm not putting up a new one, because that was just too utter a failure for me to repeat. Instead, I'm going to go read the Bible now, and enjoy horrible genocides and this really egocentric asshole of a protagonist named God. I must say, the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible is really not my thing. I just don't quite get why anyone would chose to follow a holy scripture based around war, fear, power, and hate. But hey, to each his own...

Love,

GennaRose

Correction: Breaking news-- Cass responded to the prompt. Thank you, Cass. You rock.

I Awoke From a Dream About Raspberries and Chocolate

The First Order of Business: COOLEST. COSTUME. EVER.

The Second Order of Business: I made a hat!

Yes, after months of borrowing my dear friend Katy's hat (and by borrowing I mean pilfering away to my room and refusing to give back), I finally have a hat of my own. And it only has one or two little bumpy mistakes in it... SCORE.

The Third Order of Business: Ummm... what?

Yes, this is indeed who you think it is. Christopher Walken. A very young Christopher Walken. My emotional and mental well being were slightly unhinged in discovering this photograph. Why? Because finding one's self attracted to Christopher Walken is enough to cause anyone to reconsider their existence. I can't undergo this alone, so I have decided that I need to share this image with all of you, so we can reevaluate our lives together.

The Fourth Order of Business: Audience Participation Time

So I know that there are a number of people who read this, but it feels odd writing so frequently without any feedback or participation. Thus, I am beginning a new installment. At the end of every entry, I will give a new prompt or question or challenge or something of that sort, and then you, dear readers, will respond to it. Preferably everyone. Even if I don't know you, or we are only acquaintances. Seriously. As I do more than my fair share of internet stalking, I would really only get excited at knowing that I am being internet stalked in return. So post a comment on here, or if you are reading this through facebook and don't have a blogger account, leave a comment on the link I posted. It'll be rad.

Today's Topic: Write down something bizarre or interesting you overheard someone say today.

Do it.

Love,

GennaRose

PS A Single Man is in theaters! Huzzah! Iwannaseeit.

Literature and Slug-Like Creatures

1. Exciting Happening

I won a slam for the first time tonight! I wasn't even planning on competing, but I realized I had enough poems memorized to slam, so I was convinced to do it. And it ended quite well. I am rather pleased. It was also Erotic Open Mike tonight, which was equally kick-ass. I didn't read an erotic poem, but I wish I did. Next year...

2. The Geoduck

These are geoducks. The geoduck, pronounced gooey-duck (yeah you heard me, gooey), can grow to be very large (as in over 1 meter long), and have little wings, as well. They kinda gross me out. They look like intestines dangling from a clam shell. And the presence of wings worries me. I would not want to encounter an airborne geoduck at any point in my life. Knowledge of this creature was introduced to me this week, and I therefore felt the need to share it. For how can one go on living if she knows of the geoduck and does nothing to help spread this enlightenment?

3. Ancient Texts

I finished reading Genesis yesterday, and I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed it. There were siblings named Huppim and Muppim. There was the repeated occurrence of men entering towns, pretending that their wives were really their sisters, letting other men take them as wives, and then being told essentially "Dude, that was a dick move. Why the hell did you tell us that?" when they got busted. This happened not once, not twice, but three times. Twice by the same person. I'm not quite sure why he felt the need to repeat this slightly pointless scheme, but eh, whatcha gonna do. And lets not forget the incest; there was a bountiful amount of it, and it would be a shame not to mention that.

While I didn't necessarily consider the text to hold a great deal of wisdom or valuable lessons, I couldn't help but be in awe of the stories. As Biblical tales are fair game for writers, I kept finding myself scrambling to remember names, events, details, and dialogue, with the thought that absolutely any of it could become a poem or a short story or a play or a novel or essentially anything I ever wanted to write. Reading the Bible makes me feel like all the inspiration and foundation I would ever need to write my life's work are housed snuggly in a few thousand pages. Perhaps I'll write a series of poems based on Bible stories.

I started Exodus today. There are many more pages ahead of me.

4. The Epic Nature of Young Adult Fantasy Novels

I am currently reading Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book One: The Lightning Thief (yes, there is a movie out of it right now). It is about a twelve year old boy who finds out he is half human, half Greek god. So far, he has been kicked out of school, arrived at a summer camp for demigod kids, found out that his math teacher was a demon, his mythology teacher was a centaur, and his best friend a satyr. However, for some reason, anytime anyone says anything like "My mom is Athena!" he goes "but those are just myths, pshhhh." I find this quizzical as he is consorting with mythical beasts. Does he not realize there is some crazy shit going down? Because it would seem rather obvious to me at the point where the minotaur attacked my mom and my best friend revealed that he was part goat.

Despite Percy's pesky ignorance, I am thoroughly enjoying this read. Young adult fantasy is pretty much the literary incarnation of the warmest, gooiest comfort food you can consume. It just can't be beat.

I am also currently reading poetry by Charles Bukowski and Sean Conlon. These, added to Percy Jackson and the Bible make for a rather odd combination. Very, very odd.

BUT THEY ARE ALL AMAZING

Love,

GennaRose

Toothpaste and Temp. Tatts

1. Decorative Delights

Saturday night left me adorned with four temporary tattoos: a bee on my hand (as seen above), a flower on my shoulder blade, a crocodile on my wrist, and a triceratops behind my right ear. I feel the need to inform everyone of this.

2. In Case of Tangled Cosmetic Emergency

I awoke this morning with a large wad of gum lodged solidly in my hair (this is what happens on Valentine's Day to single people). Having heard rumors of peanut butter being a remedy for such a situation, I went to search it out but to no avail. Am I now missing a chunk of hair? No! Apparently, toothpaste works just as well. Therefore, my morning was spent smearing mint toothpaste into my matted locks. Score.

For future reference, other methods of removing gum from hair include vaseline, cooking oil, and freezing the gum with a baggie of ice cubes.

Remember these things. They will come in handy one day, promise.

Love,

GennaRose

Another Friday Night Shift

1. I haven't updated for a while. This is what I have been up to:

CUPSI Qualifying Slam: most intense shit ever.

Reading the Old Man and the Sea: I read half of it the other night, and now I want to go fishing. I need to finish reading it, I love it.

Reading The Bible: My favorite part was when they cut all these different animals in half, and then stuck the halves on top of different halves.

Watching the Vagina Monologues: There was a giant plush vagina on stage that actors crawled in and out of. It was all velvety, I touched it.

Watching the Office: Jim has returned to his rightful place! Huzzah!

Getting Really Good at Understanding Charades-Esque Pantomime: I kinda rock now

Not Writing Poetry: Gahhhhhhhh

Eating Banana Bread in Bed: Is there really any other way?

Discovering the Difference Between Buffalo and Bison: There is one. Who knew?

2. PajamaJean Pants

As I have yahoo email, my home page is set to Yahoo, as well. My favorite aspect of this arrangement is that I always am subjected to Yahoo News's brilliant articles. Instead of coverage of global, political, and economic affairs like any normal, less dignified news source would do, Yahoo knows that real news sounds more like "Kristen Stewart has a mullet!" or "Worlds largest potato found." This week, one of the most important news bulletins of all time: the rising trend of PajamaJean Pants.

That's right, boys and girls-- PajamaJean Pants, a garment that looks like jeans but feels like pajamas! How has civilization existed so long without them? As if the concept of making casual wear even more casual isn't alluring enough, just think of the potential of a piece of clothing that not only coins the stellar combo word PajamaJean, but also tacks a Pants onto the end for extra clarity. Hell, why don't we call all jeans "jean pants?" I think new wave of overly redundant clothes titling is on the way. We can revolutionize the English language one piece at a time; next up are Necklace Jewelry and T-Shirt Tops.

Lastly, I'm sure everyone is just as excited as I am for pants that both fit awkwardly and feel unexpectedly stretchy when rubbed up against on a busy sidewalk. They are like the Snuggie for your legs.

PS: Apparently a legging-jean hybrid exists as well. They are entitled "Jeggings." It is knowledge such as this that really makes me wish my occupation was naming new inventions. I also wish that I wrote the disconcertingly sensual cookie descriptions on the backs of Pepperidge Farm products. In fact, I have visited the Pepperidge Farm website in search of an application for the position of "Cookie Porn Writer," but couldn't seem to find one. If anyone knows how I might go about landing this dream job, please let me know.

3. Who wants to take me to Broadway?

Paging through Vogue yesterday, I found an article about the production of Arthur Miller's A View From the Bridge starring Scarlet Johansson and Liev Schreiber. There are so many reasons why I need to see this show. Some of them are as follows:

-I just read this play a couple weeks ago, so I'm all excited about it.

-My playwriting professor, who introduced the play to me, was also Liev Schreiber's acting professor when he went to Hampshire. There is a photo of her at the premier. Hugging him.

-Scarlet Johansson. 'Nough said.

-I never get to see professional productions even though I love them more than pretty much anything else ever. Except maybe PajamaJean Pants. Those are tough to beat.

Love,

GennaRose

Adventures in Brattleboro

First Appearance of Moving Wonder

(if you try to watch this and it doesn't work, let me know. I can't tell if it is functioning properly or not.)

Note: The video we initially filmed was 20 minutes long. However, my computer only saved the first four minutes. We have collectively agreed that this is really, quite sincerely, for the best.

If you watched the video above, you may have deduced that I am at home, in the lovely town of Brattleboro, Vermont. I traveled the harrowing trip of a one hour drive in order to witness a fantastic spectacle: the a cappella festival concert at Latchis Theatre in Brattleboro. Let me say with no reservation, it was nothing short of epic. This event included seven different a cappella groups: Voicestream from Ithaca College, Jabberwocks from Brown, The Wesleyan Spirits, The Trinity College Pipes, The Dartmouth Aires, The Notables from University of New Hampshire, and last but most definitely not least, The Tufts Beelzebubs, who appeared in the recent NBC show/competition Sing Off, and placed second. All of these groups contain members from the Brattleboro area, a number of whom I went to high school with. Tickets for the event sold out a month and a half ago, and my goodness, I completely understand why. It was absolutely amazing. Not only this, but I instantly fell in love with about fifty different a cappella singing lads in one sitting. In fact, I spent about half an hour hovering near the singers after the show, trying to determine how to A) seduce someone I have never met and B) decide which of them I would want to seduce given the opportunity. Unfortunately, this was never a problem I found myself in the position of needing to solve.

While the Tufts Bubs have been my favorite a cappella group for years and were undoubtedly the celebrities of the event, the Dartmouth Aires and the Jabberwocks deserve a shout out. Both were absolutely fantastic (well, everyone was, really, but I was particularly smitten with these boys). The Aires wore colorful clowny outfits, had sharp, funny choreography, and unbelievable soloists. The Jabberwocks had that ivy league fancy suit charm while sporting beautiful voices and a fun attitude to boot.

In short, I really love a cappella. A lot.

And Now for Something Completely Different:

I really love SNL, as well. Especially when it involves grape fights. Yeah, you heard me.

Tea Lounge

I also love the Twilight Tea Lounge. It is a tiny tea shop in downtown Brattleboro, tucked beneath a knitting store. If one were to continue walking past the shop, one would find himself down by the train tracks, where I spent many hours of my vagabond youth. In the Tea Lounge, glass jars filled with loose leaf teas line the walls, and board games and books fill the cupboards. It is one of my favorite places in this world. Therefore, I was quite contented in the fact that I got to go there today. I drank chai and ate a chocolate chip cookie while visiting friends. If you are ever in Brattleboro, you are doing yourself a great injustice unless you make a visit to the Tea Lounge. Try the Strawberry Cream Tea, it's my favorite.

It is now time to sleep in my own four poster bed in the center of a very large room with a real rug. Not only this, but I have access to snacks at all hours of the day, as well as a shower where I do not have to wear shoes. Oh dorm life, how you have made me appreciate the simple things...

Love,

GennaRose

The Best Art is Done in Bed

Twas a loungy day, and being a day of the loungy variety, I of course felt the need to do art projects in bed. So I printed out an old black and white photo of a house that I found online, then a few b&w pictures of flowers, assembled them all together, and tinted select portions with watercolor paint. The result is as follows:

Now it is time to watch Arrested Development while monitoring the empty Music and Dance Building all alone in the middle of the night. Damn straight, I know how to party on a Friday night.

...

Love,

GennaRose

A Day With Cheerios for Dinner

The First Topic Meriting an Address: Plays

I both read a play and watched a play this evening. The play I read was The Yellow Boat, by David Saar. It is the true story of an eight year old hemophiliac boy who dies of AIDS. The end left me sitting in bed openly weeping into my blankets. The play I watched was Wharped: How to Build a Bomb. It was an original play written and directed by Hampshire students about a young man haunted by the Oklahoma City bombings who creates a machine to destroy the world.

Additionally, we spent Bible class discussing the Fall, when Adam and Eve are banished from Eden.

Obviously, I have had a day of lighthearted and upbeat subject matter.

The Yellow Boat was really fantastic. The script is written so that time, setting, reality, and the characters are all fluid, constantly shifting entities. It is written as a children's play, but I recommend it for everyone. While reading it, different directorial ideas kept slipping into my mind; I would really love to direct it if I got the chance. Maybe I'll talk to NEYT (New England Youth Theatre, Brattleboro, VT) about it.

The Second Topic Meriting Address: Milk

Last night I ate pasta cooked with fresh onions, mushrooms, kale, carrots, and tomato sauce, which my buddy Kelty kindly cooked. Tonight, I ate Honey Nut Cheerios. I also snagged a large container of them as well as a bottle of milk from SAGA for later.

Pouring the milk into a glass bottle makes it seem richer. So does the heavy metal knob we lift up in the machine to let the milk out. It seems like a rather creamy action, for some reason. In the midst of drinking/spooning/pouring this milk, I realized how often I think artistically about milk. Whenever I put milk in my tea I feel the need to take photographs of the fountain of cream tumbling into my cup and the swirl of tan and white. It always reminded me of those giant flat wheels at science museums with the blue liquid inside-- you spin the wheel, and the blue twists and marbles. Milk in glass bottles has always had quite an appeal, as well. Frothy. Like in the Maurice Sendak book In the Night Kitchen, where the dough was always so plump and the cream thick.

After this careful contemplation in regards to dairy, and the jotting down of some notes in my new little pocket journal (99 cents, yeahhhh!), I have come to the conclusion that I am simply far too fascinated with milk to not write a poem about it. Thus, perhaps a milk poem will soon be in existence.

I want to decorate the cover of my tiny new notebook. Any suggestions?

The Third Topic Meriting Address: Ketchup

New ketchup packets. Genius. Why didn't someone think of this before? Dipping is a necessity. Also, is it sad that I am really rather excited about this?

Love,

GennaRose

Nothing but Speechless

One: Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog

I just watched this genius creation for the first time. In fact, it finished about five minutes ago (thank you Anna for burning it for me). This is all I can write that comes close to describing my current state of emotion: Aaaahhhhhhhh

Oh Joss Whedon, how do you always manage to so firmly take hold of my insides and twist them in all different directions? Giddy and devastated are not experiences that meld naturally. It's just not right. But please do continue.

For the sake of humanity, that man needs to write more musicals. After Dr. Horrible and "Once More with Feeling," it is clear that more brain-shattering musically theatrical productions must be brought into the world. And while I feel the need to make this plea with the desperation of a crack addict, I feel no shame in it.

Gahhh it was so good! If you haven't seen it, go watch it. Right now.

(p.s. Mother, I know you are reading this. Don't worry, I have a copy I'll bring home for you to watch this weekend.)

I'm now slightly tempted to start watching Buffy from the beginning again. It's a dangerous hankering.

Two: State of Affairs

This is what my desk currently looks like:

Footnote A-- Those dishes have been there for a long time.

Footnote B-- This is also the state of my brain.

Footnote C-- Please pay special attention to my Hercules plate. I will now provide a close up, complete with toast crumbs. I don't know why Photo Booth always takes backwards photos. But just so you know, the fine print says "I'm a meat and potatoes kind of guy." I think that should be my catch phrase from now on.

Three: A Desire to Swallow the Moon; I think it would taste like frozen grapes.

Love, GennaRose