To The Herd of Freshmen

Hello friends. I'm writing this entry from my sauna-like dorm room at Syracuse University. Yes, I am back in Cuse after an exciting summer in New York and a short one week stint in the beautiful Manchvegas AKA Manchester, NH. Though I wish I could be home, I had to come back to school early for my favorite time of year... RA TRAINING!!! Ten long days of lectures, bulletin boards, lectures, door decorations and did I mention lectures?! Who could ask for anything more? I sure could. Anyway, the end of training marks the beginning of opening. Soon the halls of BBB will be flooded with incoming freshmen and the few upperclassmen that got screwed and somehow ended up in BBB.

Oh, freshmen. I think it will be pretty easy to point them out. The smell of fear that clings to them is as pungent as moldy cheese... of the french variety. Their beady little eyes dart around the room as their minds try to deduce which of the many people surrounding them will become their new best friends. Their nervous laughter is constant, even when nothing is funny. These are the traits of a freshman.

Many moons ago, I was a freshman. I know, it's hard to believe, but there was a time when I was awkward... wait a minute, I'm still awkward. Now that I think about it, a lot of the freshmen come here acting like they already own the place. They know exactly where to go for parties and which sororities and frats they want to be in come springtime (don't even get me started on Greek Life). Plus, they've already made a ton of "friends" via Facebook. Many freshmen today come to school cool, comfortable and relaxed. Well, here's what I've got to say to the Gucci sunglasses wearing, Coach purse toting, sorority bound freshmen.

Your first year here is a good time to find yourself, but it's also when herd mentality is at it's worst. Don't get sucked into being a carbon copy if you don't want to be. Forge your own path at this university and discover who you are and what's important to you along the way. If being involved in a frat or sorority is something that's really important to you, do it, as long as you're doing it for yourself and not just to fit in. Don't let people like me give you shit for it either. I really shouldn't only be giving Greek Life a hard time. Anyway, remember that college is a place of higher education, not just one big party. Expand your mind. Be a nerd. Read. Go see the Winslow Homer exhibit at Schaefer. Get out of your comfort zone. Go to class... seriously. You might be reading this and saying what the hell does this Greek Life hating nerd know about anything. 1) Hate is a very strong word, and I'm actually a part of Greek Life. Though there are some pretty big differences between APO and Tri-delt. 2) I speak from experience. I was all about the herd mentality my first semester here, and I thought that life at Cuse wasn't so bad. Come second semester, I ditched that attitude, did everything I wanted to do and really found myself. Now, I love my life here. So, welcome to Syracuse all you freshmen. It's hardly an infinite abyss, but good luck exploring it.

Peace,
Kim

Music + Cab = :-D (that's me smiling)

Who out there can honestly say they don't like music? I'm going to go with no one. Who out there can say they don't like cabs? Hmmm... ok lots of people I'm sure. Put these two seemingly unrelated things together and you get something incredibly awesome: Black Cab Sessions. I was turned on to this website by the wonderfully fabulous Meghan Schaetzle (check out her Photog Blog!). Awesome people, playing awesome music live in the back of a black cab. What's not to love? And as an equal opportunity employer, they have sessions with acoustic rockers, hip-hop artists and everything in between. The videos really speak for themselves. Here's a couple videos. Enjoy!





Peace,
Kim

An Apology... Sort of

You know what's very interesting. I did not think people besides my followers read this blog, but recent findings show that they do. I'm not sure how to handle this newly found information. I have written a couple blog entries that were rants aimed at certain people. After writing these entries, I noticed that the behavior I found to be annoying by these people promptly stopped. So I guess that's a win for me, right? Sort of? I don't really know.

Now, I'm wondering if I should censor myself on this blog. Should I avoid getting people upset and only write about topics that I know are neutral or should I write about the things that are going on in my life and turn them into funny blog posts? I think, I'm going with the latter. Sorry if I've upset anyone out in the blogosphere, but I've already told my mom I'll stop swearing as much on here, and that's the last concession I'm willing to make.

Peace,
Kim

On Cleanliness

I am notorious for having a dirty room. Though some would never admit that, I have no shame over that fact. If I'm the only one living in my room, what does it matter if it's dirty? I'll clean it if I know someone may be coming over, but otherwise, I feel my room only needs to be as clean as I see fit to live in. As much as I don't mind having a dirty room, I would never want other people to be affected by my uncleanliness. Unfortunately, other people don't feel that way.

Living in an apartment with four girls in the city has taught me many things. The most surprising thing of all is how much uncleanliness in any space other than my room bugs me. I can't decide if my roommates have just never done chores before or if they think I'm their maid. Maybe one day, I'll write a book on roommate etiquette that will make Emily Post smile down on me from heaven. Here are a few tips I would write about in my book.

On Cleanliness

1. When cooking, make sure to clean up after yourself. That would be oh so nice of you to share some of flour with me. Of course, I'd much rather you give me some in a Ziploc bag instead of it being all over the stove top. Letting it sit there for over a week without cleaning does nothing to get you in my good graces, especially if you don't offer me some of whatever you were making.
2. Eat your food before it rots. Many people these days are on a budget, so it shocks me that some would actually let their food go to waste. Even more shocking is when they won't throw away said moldy food. Moldy black bananas on top of the fridge do not make good kitchen decorations. For God's sake people, there are starving children in Africa!
3. Take out the trash when it's overflowing. I don't understand how someone can honestly place there trash on top of an overflowing waste basket, watch it topple onto the ground and proceed to walk away without doing anything. These people make me vomit in my mouth.
4. Don't leave your books/paper/clothes lying around. If those things are lying around your room, that's fine. If I'm tripping over your sneakers in the living room or eating breakfast on the couch because all of your crap has overtaken the kitchen table, that's just plain rude.
5. Ask before emitting strong smells. No, I'm not talking about farts. I'm talking about smoking anything or burning incense. I can't stand the scent of incense or cigarettes, and I know I'm not the only one. Coming back to an apartment where I can barely breathe is not fun. So please be considerate.

Based on everything that happens in this apartment, I will have no trouble writing a book about roommate etiquette. Anybody else got any rules they feel should be included? I'd love to hear them, and they don't only have to pertain to cleanliness. With the new semester right around the corner, I hope everyone has far fewer roommate issues to deal with.

Peace,
Kim

The Times is right, Our Town is "Shattering!"

I am intent on seeing shows this summer despite running low on the funds! I have two weeks left in New York, and I plan on scouring the city for great deals on theatre. In my hunt, I discovered Our Town is currently playing at the Barrow Street Theatre Off-Broadway. Some quick research showed that it has garnered rave reviews. Adam Chanler-Berat loves it too, ha! Our Town is a play about the average everyday lives of people in a small New Hampshire town by revered playwright Thornton Wilder, and it's only $20 with a student ID!

I actually tried to get into God of Carnage first, since Sunday was it's last day before going on hiatus until September, but it just wasn't meant to be. So my friend Effi and I hightailed it to the West Village from Times Square. We get to the theatre, and we're the third and fourth persons in line after these two really great guys we met. We notice these girls slip in and start hanging out near the front of the line. Hmmm, that's odd. The box office opens to put our names on the waiting list, and what do you know, these bitches cut in front of us. I was so flabbergasted. Thank God, for those two great guys because they told the box office attendant right away that we had been waiting in line and deserved to go first. YAY! There are some good people in New York! We were the last people to get into the show off the rush list along with those great guys in front of us. All is right in the world.

Anyway, about the show. Shattering! That's what The New York Times said about it, and I concur 100%. This production is a bold and beautiful take on a classic. Cromer's minimalist vision eliminate distraction. Stripped is the best way to describe Cromer's Our Town. His inventive staging immerses the audience in the show. The actors weave through the audience. At times, the action was happening inches away from my face. There is a part in the play where the character of the Stage Manager (played by director Cromer) brings out a professor to answer questions about the town. Usually, actors are planted in the audience, but in this production the Stage Manager handed out cards to people in the audience. We really were immersed in the show. I could feel the Stage Manager staring right at me as he talked a few times. We weren't merely an audience, but a part of the show.


The acting was wonderful. Every person in the show knew who their character was and portrayed him or her well, whether they had one line or 100. It was wonderful to see actors that worked so well of one another as well. I loved how they were clothed in more modern circa 1990s even though the play takes place circa 1900, which was made obvious through mentions of industrialization. I think the costumes help make the play seem more current. As an audience member you don't look at the play as an homage to times gone by. You recognize that the same things happening back then are still happening now.

I walked away from this play feeling both heavy and light. It's such a powerful experience. My friend Effi was pretty much in shock. He could barely talk. It's a beautiful work of art that makes you fully appreciate life. The last time I walked away from something appreciating life this much was when I first watched Into the Wild. If you have the opportunity to see this, GO! You will not be disappointed.

Peace,
Kim

P.S. Whoo for plays that take place in New Hampshire!! 603 for life, baby :-D

Coffee black and egg white..

If you know what lyric my title is from, bonus points for you. I hope you all read my review of Next to Normal. Shame on you if you haven't! After seeing a really great show, I always get the sudden urge to perform again. It's like a drug, and all of a sudden all I can think about is being on stage. Well, after seeing Next to Normal, I kept visualizing myself playing Natalie. I think it's a great role, and I would love to play that part. Then, I was slapped back to reality. Natalie is white. The whole family is white. Even the other two characters not in the family are white. What's a black girl to do? Well, I can hope that someone decides to put on an all black production of Next to Normal or that someone decides to do the unthinkable, color-blind casting!

Color-blind casting tends to cause quite the controversy. Here's an angry letter to The New York Times about Phylicia Rashad's (yes, The Cosby Show mom and stage veteran) casting in August: Osage County. It has also been done to much acclaim. David Oyelowo was the first black actor to play an English king in a major Shakespeare production, and his performance won him the Ian Charleson Award. I've been on the fence about the issue in the past, but now I really feel like it should be done more often. I'm already suspending my disbelief when I sit down to watch a movie, play or musical. What's the harm in accepting, for the sake of art, that a black woman gave birth to white children?

As a writer, I'm going to try and make sure that I don't write characters with a race in mind unless it is imperative to the story. I think far too many writers do that. Grey's Anatomy, which boasts a very diverse cast, was created with nobody's race in mind. The actors were chosen on the basis of talent, which is the way it should be. Talented people shouldn't be sidelined from playing great roles because of their race. Some groups have taken action. East West Players is an Asian American theatre group in Los Angeles. George Takei of Star Trek fame starred in their performance of Equus a few years ago. Last year, an all African American production of Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof hit Broadway. I applaud these productions, but I'd love to see more productions with extremely diverse casts and complete color-blind casting.

On a lighter note, my good friend Mike Contino, author of the blog Making Things Happen, and I were discussing about color-blind casting, when he had the great idea of composing a list of shows that would be extremely awkward if casting was color-blind. I laughed out loud, and we created this list.

The Most Awkward Shows to Cast Color-Blind (in no specific order)

• The Color Purple - Oprah might get a little pissed if that ever happened.
• Fiddler on the Roof - Obviously, the roles in this show don't have to be played by Jewish people, but something tells me some Jewish people would be angry if they were played by people who didn't even look remotely Jewish.
• The Civil War - This needs no words.
• Anne Frank - Again, no words.
• Porgy and Bess - Considering the characterization of black people is pretty racist in this opera, it might be even more awkward if people of another race gave a crack at this show.
• FELA! - This hasn't even hit Broadway yet, but it's a show about Nigerian activist and musician Fela Kuti. Fela, one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, is known for creating the musical genre Afrobeat. If other races were cast in this, then maybe people would realize that Africa is not solely comprised of black people. Then again, people might be too preoccupied by other races dressed in traditional African garb with paint on their bodies doing traditional African dances to care about my latter statement.
• Anything by August Wilson - Wilson's ten play play series is about the African American struggle in the 20th century. I guess that means when he wrote them he only envisioned black people playing the roles, but who are we to know that for sure?
• Parade - Seeing as they all suspect the black guy of murder because they're all racist, the show might not make sense with anyone other race in the part.
• Miss Saigon - A starring role for an Asian woman on Broadway. There is no way you can take that away from them.
• Hairspray - It might get a little tricky to pull this off during the segregated school dance scene.

I hope you all feel sufficiently awkward. Got any more that might be really awkward? Comment!

Peace,

Kim

Next to Amazing Brilliance!!

My busy schedule and empty wallet have prevented me from seeing lots of shows this summer, but I was fortunate enough to see Next to Normal with my mom a couple weeks ago. If this is the only show I see this summer that is completely fine with me. I was blown away by this honest and poignant depiction of a woman's battle with bipolar disorder as her family is falling apart at the seams.

The fact that a musical about depression is on Broadway is a testament to the fact that the musical as a genre is evolving. The fact that a musical about depression had me laughing out loud shows that the writers have a good grasp of how to mix pathos and comedy. The show is an emotional roller coaster ride set to a Tony Award winning rock score. I was laughing out loud one minute and near tears the next, and the whole time I was surrounded and enamored by amazing music that ranged from thoughtful folk songs to head-banging rock.

I thought all of the actors did a great job. Alice Ripley is brilliant as Diana Goodman, the woman battling bipolar disorder. Her unique voice helps bring life to the character. As an actress, she's so good at her craft. There were so many little things she did that were so in character even when she wasn't the focus of the scene that make her so engaging to watch. I was also very impressed by Jennifer Damiano who plays Ripley's neglected daughter, Natalie, a sarcastic and bitter teenage genius looking for a reprieve from the constant madness at home. It would have been really easy to play this role very angry, but Damiano added a lightness to the role that really opened the character up in my opinion. Adam Chanler-Berat plays Natalie's stoner boyfriend Henry with unassuming charm and likability. I am in love, and I think every girl deserves a Henry. I'm pretty sure he's gay though, so my fantasies will never be realized, sadness.

I thought the show was well written though there were times it got heavy handed, especially concerning the parallels with Diana and Natalie. On the flip side, I thought there were times in the show where subtlety was used perfectly. They did a good job of leaving certain factors up to the audience to interpret, which I loved because subtlety is almost never a bad thing in my book. The set was very cool and visually interesting. It is more conceptual, which works for this show because it allows certain areas to double as other places easily without slowing down the pace of the show. There are tons of lights on the set, which give the show a rock concert feel during the bigger flashier numbers. The band being on stage adds to that feeling.

I really feel that everyone should see this show. It's a new original music with contemporary themes like family, love, reliance on medicine, mental disorders, pharmaceutical abuse and isolation. It's funny because right before we went to see it, my mom and I were discussing pharmaceutical abuse and reliance on medicine in general. She's a pharmacist who often comes face to face with people swearing they need more medicine. Someone should tell them their profuse sweating and quickness to throw fits gives away their addiction. Anyway, I highly recommend this seeing this musical if you have the opportunity. If this is any hint on the future of the American musical, I am very excited to see what's in store.

Unfortunately the videos I wanted to add won't embed :-( Here's a link to them, and I'll try to embed them later.

COOL VIDEOS :-)

P.S. I am in with the promotion photographs taken by Evan Kafka. I find them so interesting. Here's a link to the photos. Check them out!

Aqueous by Mark Mawson

I really do appreciate Artist A Day, and I love that it's right on my iGoogle homepage. I haven't posted an art entry in a while, and not because I haven't seen cool art either. When I saw this one, I felt that I had to share. Mark Mawson is a photographer from Sydney, Australia. His work ranges from portraits and fashion to interiors and art. I am really drawn to his series Aqueous. I just find these pictures so incredibly beautiful.

He creates this effect by dropping paint into water. I love when artists have interesting processes that go into creating their art. I was reading about an artist that contains firework explosions on canvases. Maybe I will post her work on here some other time. If you guys have any artists that you think are cool, let me know. I love finding new art.

Peace,

Kim

That's a Wrap!!

Hello, followers and everyone out in the blogosphere. I'm sure you've been crying over my sporadic posts over the past couple weeks, but fret not! I am back. Filming just wrapped on Boy Wonder, the film I interned on. Now that my internship is over, my life has been returned, which means more time for blogging!!

I've got a hunch that inquiring minds want to know what exactly went down on my internship. Well, I interned in the camera department for three weeks and the sound department for one week. Lots of fun was had in both departments. I got to slate (saying the scene and take number number while holding that cool thing in front of the camera and shutting it before the director calls action) some scenes through camera, and I got to boom (holding that pole with the mic on it) through sound. I learned so much invaluable information, not only about camera, sound and film in general, but about life and myself. Pretty much everyone on set is a character. It's so great to work in a place with such fun and interesting people. I always want to surround myself with people like that in my life.

We wrapped filming last night or extremely early this morning to be more precise. The mimosas and beer started flowing, which I greatly appreciated. I also got a bottle of white wine, a sweatshirt, a tank top (from the costume dept) and $20! Now, if someone asks me if I made any money on my internship, I can say yes! I will always have good memories of my first time on set, and I hope it won't be the last time.

Peace,

Kim

Scumbag Politicians... What else is new?

I meant to post about this back when it happened, but I've been uber-busy lately, which is great. Unfortunately, being busy means it's hard to find time to post. Anyway, I've got some free time today, and posting is definitely a productive way to use that time.

I'm sure by now, everyone has heard about South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford. If you've been living under a rock, here's a brief recap:

Sanford goes missing for a few days. Nobody knows where he is. He comes back and says he was hiking The Appalachian Trail. He lied. He was actually in Argentina doing the dirty with his mistress.

Politicians and their mistresses will never be surprising news. What I find interesting is how his wife is handling this situation. Unlike the political wives before her, Jenny Sanford will not stand by her husband as he apologizes. Way to go girl! It always pained me so much to see these poor women standing by their husbands as they apologize for participating in prostitution rings, getting blow jobs that they actually didn't get (?) and cheating on said wife while she had cancer! Those women make me want to cry and barf at the same time. They have been degraded to statues whose only goal in life is to support their husbands careers. Their husbands have committed the wrongs, but these women end up the fools.

During election time, it was always tossed around that Hillary Clinton is an extremely strong woman. I don't necessarily view someone who stands by their cheating husband for the sake of political advancement as strong. More women should take a page out of Jenny Sanford's book. Unfortunately, I'm sure whenever the next political scandal comes out, the politician's wife will be standing there on the podium with her husband, a cold expression plastered on her face.

Check out this article CNN posted.

Peace,

Kim

I'm dropping anvils!!!

It really bugs me when people can't take a hint. Certain people are really annoying me right now, not because thy are annoying, but because they can't take a fucking hint! These people probably don't read my blog, but I still won't mention them on the off chance they do. If they do read my blog, I hope they can figure out I'm talking about them. Don't freak out if you're reading this. I'm most likely not talking about you. Anyway, in honor (?) of these people I have made a short list of historical people who could not take hints.

1. Louis XVI: You were King of France, you needed to produce an heir and your wife was a lot hotter than you. We're talking way out of your league, and it took you how long to finally do the deed?! Everyone knew you were a little slow, but how daft can you be? Poor you with all that pressure to bang your wife impregnate her. It must have been so tough. We've all heard the gay rumours, and if they are true, then I take back everything I've said. Honestly, you never should have been king in the first place, but if you had hopped on the baby-making train earlier, maybe one of your children would have survived the Revolution. Oh, well. Vive La Revolution!



2. King Arthur: Your wife, Guinevere, was a stone fox that everyone had eyes for, and same for your buddy Lancelot. You thought leaving them alone together would be a good idea? Oh Artie, you should have brought Lance with you on your journey. Then you guys could have had some quality guy time, and you would have prevented yourself from looking like a sap when you took Guin back.



3. Eddie Murphy: Not exactly a historical figure, but he really needs to take a hint. Stop doing shitty movies! Maybe you could still fill theaters with your crappy movies 10 years ago, but those days are long gone. Want to know why you didn't get that Oscar for Dreamgirls? It's because Norbit came out a little later!! What the hell Eddie?! Get your life back on track and take on another good role (Richard Pryor biopic perhaps). It will do wonders for you.

Thus ends my rant. These three came to the top of my head as I started writing this. If you've got any others, please feel free to comment, but don't write George W. Bush. I purposefully left him off because I could go on for hours about hints he should have taken.

Peace,

Kim

Rotten Tomatoes the TV Show?!?!

So Rotten Tomatoes has a TV show. What?! When did that happen? Was I the only one that didn't know about this? Anyway, my weekend home was filled with a good amount of movie and television watching (thank you Comcast OnDemand). I just happened to stumble upon the Rotten Tomatoes show while channel surfing one day. To be honest, it was pretty lame. They try way to be hard to be funny, but I like how they have random people do the reviews. There was one thing on the show that I found hilarious. I thought I should share it with the rest of you.

Love this! Oh, how I love indie films in all their pretentious glory. Don't even try to deny that they aren't pretentious because they totally are, but in the best way possible as this film highlights.

Peace,

Kim

Stand By...

So I've been a little lax on updating my blog the past couple of days. Recent events have occurred in my life that have turned my world upside down (and stolen a lot of my free time). Let's start from the beginning.

So, I'm perusing craiglist for job listings and the occasional peek at the Missed Encounters section, that shit makes me laugh so hard. Do those people really think anyone is going to respond?! Anyway, I'm scanning craigslist, when on a whim, I decide to see if there are any cool internships available. This one listing instantly catches my eye: INTERN FOR THE EDITORIAL DEPT OF A FEATURE FILM. I'm not really sure how interested I am in editing, but just working on a feature would be awesome so I applied, sending a resume, cover letter and contact info for a reference.

Next thing I know, I get an email asking me to interview. I show up, and the interview goes great. When I say great, I mean fucking fantastic. We were laughing, joking and going way over the amount of time I usually spend in interviews. Apparently, they were extremely impressed by the letter of recommendation they received from my reference. Thanks Doc! The job doesn't sound particularly exciting, mainly logging and labeling, but whatever.

So I'm thinking I've got this shit wrapped up right. I buy a 30-day Unlimited Metrocard, since I figure I'll be traveling to Brooklyn a lot. The days start pass. I get worried. Finally, an email comes. They decided to go in a different direction. Fuck. But they really liked me, so they decided to refer me to another person working on the film who was also looking for interns. Whoo. A series of emails and calls ensue between me and a Linda Slater, the First Assistant Camera on the film. She thinks I'd make a good camera intern and I'm working on the set the next day.

So far, I'm really enjoying myself. I love the people and the atmosphere. The shoot times are pretty crazy; I got home at 5 in the morning today. I'm learning so much about cameras and cinematography from Linda and the Director of Photography, Chris Levasseur. Plus, the shoots are catered, and they really go all out. The snacks table is full of everything from Rice Krispies and Fruit by the Foot to Nutella and potato pancakes. The one thing I'm not liking, is how I'm back to drinking coffee to help me stay up on the shoots. I hate the way that stuff makes me feel. I view it as a vice. Speaking of vices, everyone on set smokes, blech. I've never been offered so many cigs in my life, but I always remember to just say no.

I'm just so glad to be on a set working with professionals who are also great people. I'll definitely be updating my blog with funny stories (read embarrassing) and adventures from my time on set. I actually have the weekend off, and I'm heading back to New Hampshire. Whoo 603!! I'm glad I came to New York this summer. Things happen here. I like that.

Peace,

Kim

NYC Adventures with Sam!!!

My good friend Sam came and paid me a visit this weekend. I love Sam. He's just an overall good guy. So for Sam's first night here we hit up RUSH, an 18+ gay club. Sam and I are avid dancers. So we head to this club very open-minded. We get there walk through the curtain, and nobody is there except for a few creepy old men that wouldn't stop staring t us. So we decided to leave and go for a walk then come back. We hit up Pinkberry on our walk. I've heard some people rave about this place. I don't know what the big deal is. It's just frozen yogurt with cool toppings, but it was pretty good.

We headed back to RUSH about an hour later, and the place was packed with both kids that looked like they were 15 and old creepers. There were also scantily clad Gogo dancers. I don't know how those guys dance up there all night. I would have been so tired. Sam and I danced the night away. A weirdo who couldn't dance tried to get with Sam. He denied him. I had a fun time, and I think I burned off all 120 calories of that frozen yogurt.

The next night of Sam's visit we meant to go to an improv show, but we got lost in Brooklyn (we weren't even supposed to be in Brooklyn). We headed to a sleek sushi place. It was very good, but the pieces were very small. Unfortunately, I am very broke so I could only buy one, but it was sweet potato tempura. Anyone, who knows me, knows I love sweet potatoes, and this did not disappoint.

On departing the restaurant, we heard some loud music from a bar. We walked into Spike Hill and caught a couple live shows. The two bands we heard, Amy Crawford & The Electric and Brit & The Calvary, were really great and featured amazing female vocalists. We also got a free CD!!! I love schwag!!

I had a great weekend with Sam who will be headed to the hills of New Hampshire (my home state!!) for a summer camp job. Here are a couple videos of Brit & The Calvary I managed to find. Brit kinda reminds me of Tori Amos. I couldn't find anything of Amy, pooh. Enjoy the vids.

Peace,

Kim

Got to get this out there...

This blog entry is inspired by a couple late night phone chats with two dear friends and a blog post by one of them. Racism, prejudice, inequality. Are we past that? Some may yes. I definitely say no. It sucks realizing that so many people I know are a part of the problem. It sucks even more realizing that I have been part of the problem.

The hardest people to stand up to are your friends, and what I've come to realize is that every time I am passive when I hear off-color remarks that some pass off as only joking, I am perpetuating the discrimination that is present in this country. I would definitely describe myself as non-confrontational, but from this point on, I'm going to try and be confrontational in situations that I see fit.

My parents were immigrants that came to this country and worked for everything they have. The fact that my sister and I are attending college and working towards creating a bright future for ourselves is the American Dream for them. I grew up in suburban New Hampshire surrounded by mainly white people all my life. My sister and I were the only black kids at my elementary school for a few years. I came out of it all pretty unscathed, but there are things that still stick with me. Kids laughing at me when I wore cornrows to school in 2nd grade. In 5th grade, a boy told me he would never date a black girl. Constantly being told I did not act black. Friends casually saying the N-word around me. Actually being called the N-word in a malicious manner.

At the time, I acted like all of these things weren't a big deal. I didn't address them. I didn't talk about it with anyone. I just pretended it never happened. I'm through with acting like that because these things do matter. The fact that I can vividly remember them now, and it's bringing tears to my eyes as I write this is a testament to that.

So when you're talking shit about immigrants. You're talking shit about my parents. When you make off-color remarks about anyone because of their race, sexual orientation, religion or whatever. You are making that same joke towards me. You are telling me that you think it's okay to judge people based on those things, and that it's okay to judge me based on those things. So if you want to make a remark like that around me, go ahead. Just be prepared to get a mouthful from me, and know that you will lose my respect. I'm 20 years old. I'm at a time in my life where I am figuring out the type of person I want to be and the type of people I want to be associated with. I hope you are one of them.

Peace,

Kim

"Prejudices are what fools use for reason." - Voltaire

(500) Days of Summer!!!!

Thanks to some good fortune (and a head's up from A-Rab), I was able to see an advanced screening of (500) Days of Summer tonight with my two favorite film buffs. One of the writers graduated from Syracuse, and I was actually able to hear him speak about the film and his experiences in the industry this past semester. The anticipation had been building, and I hoped I would not leave the theater in disappointment.

I am happy to say that overall I was not disappointed. On the contrary, I liked the film a lot. It pushed the boundaries of what constitutes a romantic comedy in a smart and edgy manner. The film is both laugh out loud funny and gutwrenchingly emotional. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel gave wonderfully realistic portrayals of two very different, but very real characters. Gordon-Levitt's performance especially stood out. He's an extremely talented actor with an ease and charm that is both relatable and admirable. He does a great job of making the audience care deeply about his character to the point where we are rooting for him even though we've been told from the beginning he will fail. The rest of the cast is also very good.

The film looked amazing. It was very visually appealing. I loved the blue and brown color scheme, which I have not seen too often before (though I guess if you count brown as a desaturation of red/orange, than it as certainly been used before i.e. Traffic). The cinematography was beautiful. There were a lot of interesting shots and techniques used, which might be attributed to the fact that the director, Mark Webb, got his start in music videos. Some might say it was too showy, but I thought it only made the film more interesting.

What really drives this film is a simple, but well-told story about a relationship where one person is in love and the other is not. This is a real story that happens to people every day, but romantic comedies tend to focus on people falling in love, instead of what people learn from relationships, especially the failed ones. It's funny because I was talking to a friend the other day about how most romantic comedies are the so far fetched and untrue to life. How do those writers write that crap?! I wonder if a new generation of romantic comedy writers will arise with stories that are actually real. Maybe then most women in America won't obsess with finding the one, but that's a rant for another time. Anyway, I liked how there weren't any sappy overly long monologues (there may have been one at the end, but it was actually good and not sappy); these were replaced by dialogue that felt true to life between characters that felt like real people.

The only thing I truly despised was the very, very, very end. If you see the film, talk to me about what you think of the end because I was so perturbed. The amount of music might have been overkill too. It felt like it never stopped, but that didn't bug me too much.

Anyway, go see it. I highly recommend it. Rom-Com's don't have to suffer the fate of cheesy jokes, lame storylines and Matthew McConaughey!!

I couldn't decide, which movie poster I liked best, so I put them all up.

Peace,

Kim

Amazing 66 is UH-MAY-ZING!!!

Some of you reading this may know a friend of mine named Ryan Lu. Well, his mom has a restaurant in Chinatown, and Ryan was nice enough to invite some of us over to eat. The food was soooo good. I cannot get over how amazing this food was. I ate so much. I'm not eating for the next week. This is one of those restaurants that makes me miss eating meat. The Peking Duck looked so good, sigh.

Anyway, if you are ever in New York City, head to Chinatown and go to Amazing 66. It's family style, so bring a bunch of friends and enjoy. You won't regret it!

I Google Imaged "Amazing 66" and a picture of Ryan Lu's mom came up!! She's the cutest woman, and she had a fierce handbag!!

Peace,

Kim

Another book done - Arcadia

I finished another book on my summer reading list. I probably should have finished it a while ago, but I just find myself so busy all the time. There just aren't enough hours in the day. Anyway, I finished Arcadia, a play by Thomas Stoppard, a couple of days ago. The only thing I didn't like about this is the fact that I don't know if I'll ever be able to see it performed. This is a brilliant piece of work by an innovative playwright.

I don't want to give too much away, but the play centers on Sidley Park, an English country house. The play juxtaposes the inhabitants that lived there in 1809 with the ones that presently (1989) live there.

The plot and characters are very interesting, but I especially loved all of the ideas the play brings up. The play really delved into the subjects of math and physics, which I normally hate, but I was enthralled by them in the context of this play. The whole idea of time and how it moves was very interesting. There are underlying themes of romanticism vs classicism, chaos theory vs. determinism, nihilism and lust. I especially loved how the play brought up the question of what is knowledge through two academics who are pitted against each other. One is a scientist and mathematician while the other is a professor of literature. I could go on and on about the ideas it discussed, but you should really pick it up and read it for yourself.

Peace,

Kim

Celeb Spottings!!

So the other day, I'm walking to this job interview. Who do I see? PATRICK WILSON!!!! Gaaaahhhh!!!! I literally stopped walking and stared at him with my mouth wide open (totally catching flies). He was laughing with this very pretty woman whom I assume is his wife. It was an amazing moment. I am in love with him. Ever since I first laid eyes on him (and part of his penis) in Angels in America, I have had the biggest crush on him. Pat you made my day.

So here I am thinking, wow it can't get any better. WRONG. I'm in Chelsea Market, and I'm looking at this woman. That's a Victoria's Secret model. That's Alessandra Ambrosia. Nah, I'm being dumb. I walk out and spot none other than the wonderful Rae Ann. She's pretty much a celeb in my book. She confirms it was Alessandra!!! Two celeb sightings in one day. Craziness.

I love my life. I love NY.

Peace,

Kim

Who says that blacks and jews don't get along?!

A couple nights ago, Ray was nice enough to take me to this event through his place of employment. It was at the Museum of Jewish History. Their new exhibit, Beyond Swastika and Jim Crow: Jewish Refugee Scholars, examined the strong relationships built between Jewish professors at historically black colleges and their pupils. It truly was an eye opening experience. I had never even heard of this before. I found it so interesting how many of these pupils went on to be presidents and deans of colleges or internationally renowned poets and artists; one even became Surgeon General. These people were in college to become plumbers and maids, but a few good professors changed the course of their lives. The exhibit also highlighted political cartoons, which paralleled America's treatment of blacks to Nazi Germany's treatment of the Jews.

Overall, it was a great experience. There was free food and drink. I got to hang out with some very cool people, and I learned so much. Check out Ray's blog for his opinion on the shooting at the Holocaust Museum in DC. His title says it all: We've only come so far.

Peace,

Kim

Spontaneously Exploding Beer?!

A very peculiar event took place the other day. I was in the living room reading, when all of a sudden, I heard this loud crash followed by a shrill scream. I got up and ran into the room I heard the noise coming from. What do I find? Broken glass and beer everywhere. Apparently, a 40 just exploded... spontaneously... wtf?!?!

A girl that was on the other side of the room got hit with a piece of glass and was bleeding. Some of the glass was embedded in the wall because of the power of the blast. One girl's computer and cell phone were ruined (ouch) from all the beer.

I am still in shock over this. Has anyone ever heard of this happening before? I googled it, but not much came up. I'll show you what did come up though:

I'm very upset I didn't actually get to see it explode. It must have been so cool. Oh well.

Peace,

Kim

10 Followers!!!

To my 10 Followers, you have made me the blogger I am today. Thank you so much for all of your support and dedication to this blog. All of your comments brighten up my day. I don't know how I can ever thank you enough. Just remember, dreams can come true. Thanks guys. Much love to you all!!!

Peace,

Kim

P.S. - TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS TO FOLLOW MY BLOG!!!!

Hebrew Mamita!!

So I'm staying in NYU Summer Housing and they put on this series called the New York Experience. Basically what happens is every Tuesday someone will come in to speak or do whatever their schtick is. At first I thought, wow, super lame. Well, I'm a dumbass. I missed Dr. Ruth last week, and I heard she was great. I'm bummed about that, but I made sure to go to the one this week.

Vanessa Hidary aka The Hebrew Mamita is a spoken word artist/solo performer/actress/occasional rapper (usually after she's had a few cocktails). She's performed on HBO's Def Poetry Jam and is the creator of the show Culture Bandit!, which chronicles her coming of age as a Sephardic Jew on Manhattan's culturally diverse West Side during the Golden Age of Hip-Hop.

I'm always down for some poetry, especially when the subject matter is culture and diversity. I show up to the event, and I wasn't surprised to see only 5 other people there. Poetry isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I was all the more happy for an intimate setting. This woman is amazing. She's got this unique voice that is both quirky and full of sass. Thanks to the intimate setting we got to talk to her and really get to know who she is and what she's about, as well as watch her perform some great pieces.

Her words really spoke to me personally. Her first poem was about a guy in a bar telling her she doesn't look or act Jewish. She also read this story about her experiences dating a Dominican man, and how she transformed from a Jew into a Latina complete with a gold cross hanging around her neck. I'm not Jewish, but those themes of belonging and culture are universal. As a black girl growing up in the New Hampshire suburbs, the culture-clash and confusion of who I am and how I should act was prevalent in my life. I came out of it unscathed and with few horror stories, but Vanessa Hidary takes her stories and makes them funny, thoughtful and poignant.

Here is her signature piece:

This one just makes me laugh:

Peace,
Kim

Here is a summation of my New York life so far.

New York is...

• open bars and free sushi at charity events hosted by my place of employment :-D
• meeting Daniella from The Fashion Show at said charity event (she is an FYP Alum!!!)
• meeting The Naked Cowboy at said charity event...
• pizza at 2AM with very cool interns (yummy)
• being called pretty lady/beautiful/baby or just plain getting hollered at by various scumbags around the city BOO... ok, sometimes I secretly like it ;-P
• hanging out with good friends
• catching up with old friends in their swank accommodations
• pining over the cute librarian
  
• independence
• not home
• waiting in line at American Apparel for almost an hour for an interview that lasted 2 minutes
• FREE STUFF
• honey roasted almonds!!!!
• reading and writing in union square
• rooftop films... indoors haha
• 39 year old roommate (wtf?!?!)
• corona and cheap pizza
• sample sales :-D
• the present

I think this is a good summation of my experiences in New York so far.

Peace,
Kim

Gay Marriage is legal in the 603 :-D

Live Free or Die! That's the New Hampshire way. We are about freedom, and I feel that became clear today, when we became the sixth state to legalize gay marriage. I am extremely proud of my state. People may poke fun and say that New Hampshire has more cows than people or that we're all hicks, but I think it's clear that New Hampshire truly is a progressive state with people that care about equality and freedoms.

I applaud Governor Lynch. I think that his requests do make sense, as much I hate to admit it. Lynch basically asked that some changes be made to the bill before he signed it. These changes grant religious organizations the power to deny gays the right to marry. Make no mistake, I think this is morally wrong, but religious organizations have the rights to religious freedom. It's sad that they choose to exercise this right by discriminating against people, but that is their right.

I salute you, New Hampshire :-)

Peace (& Equality),

Kim

I Likes to Read :-)

Upon arriving at my NYU apartment, one of the things I was excited for was to use the NYU Library. It would be so much easier finding books in there, than at the public library since far fewer people are using it. So let me tell you I was very shocked to learn that I couldn't use the library because I'm not a student at NYU. WTF?!?! I'm paying for your fucking overpriced apartment, and I can't use the library?!?! NYU is a bitch. Case closed.

So after work, I stopped by one of the public libraries. I wasn't even sure if they would give me a card, but they did! The lady was so nice about it too. She should be employee of the month. Then I went searching for books. I figured all the ones I wanted would be gone. They were all there. New York Public Library you really made my day. Way to not let me down. I truly appreciate that.

What a fine way to segue into my summer reading list. I saw one of my pal's who blogs post his, so I thought it might be a good idea to put mine on here too. Who knows if I'll get to them all, but I'm going to try. I've already finished one yay :-)

Summer Reading List

100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez

My Fiction Workshop professor pretty much told us we had to read this book. We read a couple of short stories by García Márquez, which I really loved. According to my professor, García Márquez is the master of magical realism. I look forward to reading this one.

Arcadia by Thomas Stoppard

I wanted to make sure that I read a quality play this summer. A friend recommended this one, and I've heard raves about it. I picked this up at the library today, but instead of just getting Arcadia, I decided to get a collection of five plays by Stoppard. I hope I have time to read them all. I've seen Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are dead, and it was excellent. Apparently, Stoppard's stuff is top quality so I am very excited.

Ariel by Sylvia Plath

I also picked this one up today at the library. I needed some poetry on my list. From what I know about Plath, I feel like I would really like her. I guess I'll know pretty soon.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Wow more Sylvia Plath haha! I read this when I was younger, but I was too young to really understand it, so I'm coming back to it. I did that way too often as a kid, so now I have to backtrack and read them all over again. Whatever, I'm sure it will be worth it.

Dylan Thomas... anything by him

I haven't yet decided exactly what I'm going to read by him, but everyone loves Dylan Thomas, so his work can't be all bad. Plus, I needed more poetry on my list. The fact that part of Bob Dylan's pseudonym comes from this guy should be enough reason to read anything by him.

Ends and Means by Aldous Huxley

I have read both Brave New World and Brave New World Revisited. I liked them very much, but it was clear to me that he is an essayist at heart. This was confirmed when I saw the The Complete Essays of Aldous Huxley is 7 volumes! Anyway, I needed some non-fiction on my list, and I thought this might suffice.

The Fall by Albert Camus

Camus. He's French; he waxes philosophic. Need I ask for more? No. I've read The Stranger, The Plague and Caligula, as well as been a participant in a heated philosophical conversation touching upon The Myth of Sisyphus. Camus has not disappointed me thus far.

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

The only reason I think I might not like this is because Jodie on Daria doesn't like Ayn Rand. If I remember correctly, Jodie said she was vulgar and sensational. If there is any fictional character that is shares many of the same attributes as me, it is Jodie Langdon. She would never start to slack off like I did. Anyway, I've heard many mixed things about Rand. I thought it was time to I decide for myself how I feel about her work.

Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami

Murakami is know as one of Japan's finest contemporary novelists. As a lover of Japanese culture and good literature, this book seemed like the perfect addition to my summer reading list. Here is another guy who likes his magical realism, and I know I like magical realism, so this should turn out to be a good pick. Plus, I've heard this is a quintessential "thinking person's" book. I like to think I am a "thinking person".

New Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton

I've got another Thomas on my list, but the two are nothing alike. This book will fulfill my need for something spiritual on my reading list. It was between this and St. Augustine's Confessions. I decided to go with this one because Merton is still alive.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

I picked this one up today too! Here's another big time Japanese writer (technically, he's British). To be perfectly honest, I stole this off of a friend's facebook page. I know they have good taste in books so it seemed logical. Is that creepy?

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

I actually have not read a lot of Vonnegut, which is surprising to me. I have read some of his short stories, and I really love his work, especially his voice and style as an author. I honestly don't know why I haven't read more of his stuff. Well, I've declared this summer the time to start!

The Wanderer by Alain-Fournier

I love France. I love the country, the language, the culture; I love everything about it. This is classic French literature so I had to put it on my list. I actually finished reading this one. Great read. I got through it so quick. I was hanging onto every word, so excited to see what would happen. It's a beautiful coming of age story that I highly recommend, especially for people who appreciate classic literature.

Thus concludes my Summer Reading List. I really hope I get to them all, but between internships, a part-time job, friends and my writing (currently working on 2 screenplays, 1 play, and 2 short stories), I don't know if it can be done. Wish me luck!

Peace,

Kim