Summer & Seventh

So, yesterday I had a soccer game. It's been going really well! Our team is 3-1 (we've one three games and lost one). Yesterday, we were playing a team at at there middle school. You see, their middle and high school share the same field since they have an ultra nice turf field and a lot of other smaller fields that teams can use. So while our game was going on, there was also a JV boys soccer game taking place, 7th grade boys football practice, and 7th grade girls soccer practice. During our pre-game warm-ups we got to see these girls in action, and I realized how far I've come! I was the girl who was constantly apoligizing for her bad passes and volleys, and had no clue what she was doing, but was learning a heck of a lot along the way! I wasn't just watching these girls noticing their soccer skills though, I was thinking about how small they were! Too me, 7th grade does not seem far away at all, but two years can be a long time. I thought of what I felt like, what I was going through into 7th grade, and pictured these girls probably experiencing the same things. Everyone treats "sevies" like they a world away, and I never thought they were, until now. I really have changed, and it's sorta freaking me out!

Taking soccer pictures are the best. You really get some cool stuff!

On the bus ride to the game and back I was thinking of nothing else but summer. The town we played in is a real hotspot for surfers and it's basically just a beach town! So driving past all the great ice cream places, surf shops and beaches that are packed in the summer but are now covered with this eerie Septemeber fog, really made me upset. I miss summer! Don't get me wrong, fall is my FAVORITE season. But I hate Septemeber. It's such an awkward transition. One day it's 65 degrees out and everyones searching for their new pair of jeggings, and then it's a hot and sunny 85 and people are regretting covering up their pool! Why does September have to tease us? Summer's not coming back, we still have to wait a whole 'nother year.

Song stuck in my head today: "Til I Forget About You" by Big Time Rush

Keep on keepin' on,

Madison

Glee Review #10: "Audition" (Episode 1, Season 2)

For me, the second season of Glee started on a sour note. Not to say I'm doubting the show will pick up the pace later on, but I expected more from this season premiere!

*SPOILER ALERT* For those of you who missed the episode 'cause you thought it was at 9 (yeah, made that mistake almost!) go to hulu.com to watch the rest!

First up, music! (Yes it feels oh so good to get back into my old Glee routine!) I looooved "Empire State of Mind", and was clapping at the end unlike the rude McKinley High kids! I thought the outfits were cute and cheesey, and seeing Finn in those glasses was the best. "Telephone" was a great way to introduce the newest female character, Sunshine Corazon. The only part I didn't like was how vicious Rachel was when she was singing! "Listen" was great, but I wasn't shocked like the other Glee fans that weren't familiar with the lovely and talented, Charice - Yes that's her real genuine voice! - so I guess it didn't give me the effect most viewers had. "Billionaire" was super cute and fun, and I can't tell you how happy I am that there's a blond guy on Glee. For those of you who don't know, I love blond guys, haha. I wondered though if that's his real voice. So, I did what any curious person who do nowadays: Googled him! While I didn't uncover if this new character had any real pipes, I did uncover some MAJOR SPOILERS. His name is Chord Overstreet, you may have seen him on iCarly and No Ordinary Family, and he has been cast as Kurt's boyfriend!!! AHHHH. So, that's it for music. I wanted some old school Glee jam sessions though, to kick off the season right!

The Drama in this episode was good. Nothing too crazy, just your normal McKinley High sabotaging! What resulted in the drama that ocurred though, was what left a bad taste in my mouth. I felt the fact that Sunshine ended up switching to Vocal Adreneline, Sam not trying out, and the touchy scenes with the new football coach, Ms. Bieste, were too much for this fragile season premiere. It should've been more fun and lively! Not full of backstabbing and evil planning! Though I did enjoy the Will and Sue teamwork for a bit, I wanted to cry at the end! Then they push Bieste SO overboard that she throws Finn off the team?! Not good. Not good at all. Oh, and Rachel's bangs ruined the whole epsiode. Is it just me or have those bangs made her even meaner?! I love Rachel but she served out to much this episode.

A new addition to my normal Glee reviewing format will be my thoughts as I was watching the episode (I jot down notes so it takes less time when I blog).

• I loooooved Jacob's vlog in the beginning. Thought that was a great way to open up and that microphone with the hebrew on it made me die!
• Aisan camp?! Hahahhaa.
• Finn's cheer audition made my want to cry, but I couldn't stop laughing at him and Sue's reaction!
• The fight between Santana and Quinn were inveitable, and I'm glad it happened! It's so good to see Quinn back in her uniform... wow. Never thought I'd say that.
• I died when Brittany accused Bieste of sexual harrasment... Oh good ol' Brittany!

Second to last: My questions for the episode!

1.) Are Charice and Sam permenant characters on Glee? I tried to do a bit of research, but I couldn't come to a definite conclusion if they would both become two new main characters. Since Sam is going ot be Kurt's boyfriend, and Charice is now on Vocal Adreneline. They have to be staying around for a good part of the season! I think they'll both make for some interesting storylines. 2.) Will Quinn change again now that she is head cheerleader? Our now beloved Quinn Fabray is yet again on top of the pyramid- literally. Since Sue decided to give her a second chance, will she start treating her glee club family like dirt? I hope not! 3.) How long will Mike and Tina really last? This new summer love couple seems to be going strong despite the heart-broken Artie's disapproval, but will their summer fling last through the school year? It seems to me like they're both tottaly different people at times and I'm wary if it'll really last.

Last but not least... memorable quotes!

"Which means we'd have to reuse my kids new Pampers for at least a week" - Pizza guy "How do you get the white on the rice?" - Jacob "...Who is shorter than me which I didn't think is possible" - Rachel "Oh, and Boobs McGee — you’re demoted to the bottom of the pyramid, so when it collapses, your exploding sandbags will protect the squad from injury. Now take your juicy, vine-ripened chest fruit and get the hell out of my office!" - Sue "I made it up. Coach Beiste didn’t touch my boobs. Actually, I really want to touch her boobs. " - Brittany "Did you know there’s a forum on my blog that’s begging you to stop rapping?" - Jacob

Tina and Mike share a moment at aisan camp

I'm so excited for next week's Britney Spears themed episode "Britney Britney"! The songs from this iconic popstar that they'll be singing are....

"Stronger" "Oops!... I Did It Again" "...Baby One More Time" "Toxic" "Me Against The Music" "The Only Exception" "Slave 4 U"

I also found out that Carrol Burnett will be starring as Sue Sylvester's mother. HOW PERFECT?!

Song stuck in my head today: "Empire State of Mind" by the Glee cast

Keep on keepin' on,

Madison

I Wish This Fad Was Dead.

I think I need to get my eyes checked. That's wierd though because I have 20/20 vision... But it seems to me, every day at school, every girl is wearing a Grateful Dead t-shirt. I love the Grateful Dead but you have to understand, half these chicks don't even know what they are! "Uhm yeah, I thought the skull design was really neat..."

I'm not saying it's that wrong to wear a shirt with an iconic symbol on it and be completely oblivious...

Ok, well in my book it is. At least try to learn about what you're wearing! Because than some music freak girl like me is gonna come along and mock you because you're guessing the Grateful Dead was come cutesy 80s pop band. Nope. Try again. I'm sorry I'm so crazy judgemental with this, put it's just one of my biggest pet peeves. It's not like any of these girls are walking around with "Sugar Magnolia" stuck in their head.

So yeah, sorry if I'm tottaly overracting with this whole thing but it's super annoting when every time I ask someone wearing a shirt like this if they like the Dead they're just like "Uhm, no are they a band? Lol, I just like y'know think the like skull is cool!"

UGH!

Song stuck in my head today: "Soundtrack 2 My Life" by Kid Cudi

Keep on keepin' on,

Madison

World of Jenks "The Street Queen"

In this week's installement, Andrew Jenks lives the life of a 'houseless' 22 year old named Danielle. This was the episode I was most looking foward to, and it didn't dissapoint.





You may or may not know (hey new readers!) that I visit NYC quite often, so I've seen my share of homeless people. I, personally, am not the type of person to walk by without wondering how that person got there, how me giving them or not giving them change or food will effect them, and if anyone else helps them out. But suprisingly enough, the thing that shocked me the most this episode, was not how Danielle lived now as a houseless woman in the streets of San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district, but her life before that.
Danielle grew up in a broken household, which is a reason for her living on the streets today. Hearing what her parents had to say about her life, her homelessness, and their own parenting, made me cry. I'm so lucky to have a safe, loving, and nuturing home enviroment, and I guess I don't appreciate it that much. Danielle's mother and father were both obviously drunk when Jenks questioned them, and their answers were even more revolting. Danielle's mother thought she did a fine job with raising her three childern, and wasn't concerned at all that Danielle was living on the streets, day to day. She said if anything, Danielle was better off on her own.

D is a very strong person. If I had a family who said those things, I would never want to visit them again. I'm not sure if it's healthy for her to visit them, but I know it's not healthy to cut them out of her life altogether. While visiting her parents, Danielle gets her Social Security ID card from her mother. With this now in her posession, she hopes to start a new life for herself, and dreams about becoming a social worker with a family. I hope this happens for her

Song stuck in my head today: ....

Keep on keepin' on,

Madison

Left My Heart in Iceland

When the sun hits me perfectly on a nice 60 degree day, I'm transported to that sqaure in RVK where we ate ice cream and watched the skateboarders.

When my dog gives me a face, I think of that Cavalier I took a picture of while we were waiting for the guy to go come back to his shop to give me my t-shirt.

When I'm walking around my block at dusk, I accidentally think it's two in the morning. Whoops.

When I look at my aunt's dog, I think of Kayla and how well she played.

When a breeze covers my face as I'm in the pool, I think of all the pools we went to and I never thought I could swim in Iceland.

When someone mentions Hollywood Stunt Rider, I think of that terrible water slide I went on where this little boy kicked my butt while I was on the ride because I slowed down the whole ride.

When I see a cute brunette boy, I think of that gorgeous guy we saw at the pool but couldn't talk to because of that little girl that kept following us around. God, what was her name??

When I hear an older man with a British accent, I think of how you turned and smiled at me when we sat down next to that man from the UK.

When I see a cute baby boy, I think of that baby who had body-builder parents, and I couldn't get enough of him, and how he smiled at me and tried to play with us.

Whenever I go to the movies, I wish I had enough money for a slushie because it was the best thing ever when we saw Toy Story 3.

When I see a pair of cute high heels (or any clothing for that matter!), I hear you in my head saying "BUY IT. BUY IT."

When I see all these new ads for jeggings, I think of how everyone wore them in Iceland and how I just had to get a pair. Now they're huge here, who would've known!

Whenever someone mentions jam, I think of the rhubarb jam I tried and oddly enough liked.

When ever someone mentions waffles, I think of the super yummy ones we noshed on in RVK.

♥

Song stuck in my head today: The one that kept playing on the radio. The one from EuroSings or whatever. "Love, Oh Love". Something like that. I should go Youtube it.....

Keep on keepin' on,

Madison

World of Jenks: "Heaven and Hell" (AND THE BURIED LIFE)

This weekend I watched "Heaven and Hell" on my T.V. (via IO free On Demand) so for those of you who have IO, watch it that way because mtv.com is currently restoring that video. :/

In this episode, Andrew uncovers the lifestyle of up and coming rapper, Maino. He learns about his past, parties it up in the present, and talks to Maino about his aspirations.

In ways, were all alike. We're all covered with stereotypes, and all have stories that just sound very similair to everyone elses. Sooner or later, all these great tales start to get mashed up and muddled. We look for something new, someone who has risen above all, faced with challenges no one has ever had to face before. So a black boy growing up in the streets of Bed Stuy and after some time in prison and being exposed to all that is the ghetto, makes a good life for himself doesn't sound to different now-a-days doesn't it. I mean how many docu-dramas and 60 Minutes specials can we have about singers, businessman, actors, or writers that made it out of the projects?

Not enough.

You might think you've seen it all after watching a little bit of MTV and prime-time news, but you haven't. You know how the story goes and don't gasp when you find out Maino has a son out of wed-lock and spent 10 years in prison for kidnapping. You know the drill: hard times followed by one mistake that leads you to jail, and then that final wake up call (throw in a murder or a pregnancy for good measure). I'm not saying that Andrew Jenks uncovered anything mind-blowing or life-changing. The stereotypical rise to fame might even stay in your head after watching it, who knows! But while watching this episode, and hearing Maino talk about wanting to be and inspiration to others, providing hope for those who were still trying to make it out of the streets, (after rolling my eyes a bit): I got it. I realized that yes, we humans share a lot of stories, and maybe we're all just the same and that's that. But there's still so many people trying to stand up on their own two feet, so many people who need that inspiration no matter if they're living in Brooklyn, Compton, or some little farm town that's making them feel trapped in Ohio! The stories we hear and see are only a small percentage of those who have been able to give themselves and their families, a better life. They're only just a few people who have been able to pursue their dreams despite all the staggering odds that were against them. The words they give to others aren't cheesey, but heartfelt. And those others need them.

In other thoughts.... NEW World of Jenks EPISODE TONIGHT AND THE PREMIERE OF The Buried Life AFTER IT! ☺ This is an awesome TV week! I'm really excited to to see what crazy things the boys do this season, and hopefully it'll give me inspiration for my list! I'll post my review tomorrow and I hope you all check it out!

Song stuck in my head today: I have allergies.. the only thing in my head was snot!

Keep on keepin' on,

Madison

Back to Basics: A Flower List Update

Are you excited for the new season of Glee?!

54% said YES!! I CAN' WAIT

36% said Ew no.

0% said I guess. I watch it sometimes!

0% said No, I'm really dreading your reviews too. I don't watch it!

0% said Yup (:

0% said Maybe I'll start watching it...

9% said What's Glee?

Well a couple things,

1.) I'm glad most of you ar excited for Glee!! I can't wait either. The new season starts the 21st and I'm stoked! My friend Jake said they're singing "Empire State of Mind" and I'm dying to hear it.

2.) I'm upset the other half of you don't watch Glee but it's also good to know people aren't reading my blog just for the reviews because I feel that way sometimes! Hope you don't get too annoyed with my posts though. :)

3.) For those of you who are unfamilair with all the glory that is Glee, here's a basic rundown for you! Glee is a comedy TV show on FOX which follows the torments and triumphs of McKinley High School's misfit glee club. With it's hilarious one-liners, diverse characters, and amazing renditions Glee is a must-watch show! (In my opinion anyways ;))

So be sure to check back here for my reviews of this season! Thanks for reading (:

Song stuck in my head today: "Gold Digger" by the cast of Glee

Keep on keepin' on,

Madison