| Ahem |
[Aug. 9th, 2009|09:36 pm] |
Because I love Rosie more than I am lazy.
From memory/netflix history. This is entirely incomplete, as I was not keeping track up until quite recently. However, one tries.
loved it
liked it
no strong opinion/can't decide
disliked it
in the cinema*
Hey! Livejournal has a rich text option now! SCORE!!! It's been a while.
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| (no subject) |
[Mar. 3rd, 2007|11:25 pm] |
It's been almost a year since I've posted. How weird is that.
Because I care for you people I won't give one of those "ok, so this is the past YEAR of my life" posts. That would be mean and tedious. Instead, I'm going to tell about the dream I had last night. Because it was weird.
It started at UPenn. Which was odd, because it was in Bryn Mawr. Which is not University City. In fact, it was a dorm on what looked like the Bryn Mawr Campus. And it was near the Bryn Mawr train station. But it was UPenn.
I was loading stuff into a dormroom. It was March of this year. Apparently myself and many of my friends from high school had gotten in already, and were waiting to hear back from other schools. Except while we were waiting we were attending UPenn. Jane was there, Liz was there, Collins was there. Among other people. Someone, I don't remember who, brought in a giant box and dropped, dumping a pile of massive dildos on the floor. At the time it didn't seem weird, and I helped whoever it was pick them up, taking one for myself. Even though it was more as a souvenir than as...well what dildos are usually for. Other people come into the room, see me holding the dildo, and I get really embarassed and stash it somewhere.
Then Tony Godwin comes in, I guess as the person in charge of what is clearly an AFS dorm. At UPenn. In Bryn Mawr. In March of senior year of high school. He gives us this big speech about needing to have jobs. We then go down to the train station and board a train into the city to acquire said jobs. We get dropped off in an underground station which looks a lot like the subway station for Lincoln Center. When we emerge however, it's the British Museum. Jane runs off to get a job, and the rest of us just stand there. After a while we go back to UPenn/Bryn Mawr, I walk into the dorm room, and wake up.
How weird is that? |
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| (no subject) |
[Mar. 27th, 2006|08:42 pm] |
Ok, so I know I haven't updated in ages, but you try taking 5 AP courses junior year. Along with clarinetting, a job at the synagogue, etc. etc. etc.
I have started my college trip with my mother. Lots of traveling through New England, looking just about everywhere we can, within reason, to try and narrow down the list a little bit more.
I'll try updating more regularly, and I'll post the positives and negatives. After all, there's nothing more interesting than lists.
Today was Williams College, a small liberal arts college in Williamstown Massachusetts.
Positives: Great history program
massive library system
great academics all around
a really cool winter term program
laid back, non-competitive atmosphere
beautiful campus
huge music program, full of kids who play but dont major in music
Negatives: not such a strong language department
4 hours from boston, 5 from new york
there's almost nothing to do nearby, all the activity/entertainment is on campus
there are buses to boston and NYC, but no one takes them, content with the on campus social stuff
MIDDLE OF FREAKING NO WHERE
Overall Perspective: Awesome school, and it would be heaven if it were picked up and plopped down in central park. But it hasnt been, and so I'd probably shoot myself when faced with the prospect of spending four years of my life there.
Tomorrow: Amherst!
( of bed, breakfast, and lesbians )
Well, I need sleep, we're waking up early tomorrow. ciao |
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| (no subject) |
[Jan. 24th, 2006|11:23 pm] |
So apparently there is a lot of opera in New Jersey and my area. Over the next 2 and a half months I have the chance to see: Falstaff, Traviata, Das Rheingold, Margaret Garner, and Pirates of Penzance. This only with about 5 minutes of looking.
The problem is, I really don't have that many people to go with. Close to zero actually. This is really very saddening. If I don't find someone soon, I might pull a Tosca. |
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| (no subject) |
[Jan. 6th, 2006|12:25 am] |
Ok, seeing as to the fact I don't have a paid account, and I can't insert a poll into my entry, you're all just going to have to respond with a comment. Under penalty of death.
Next year, I will have room for one extra AP. Yes, I know, I'm planning too far in advance, but it was what I do. This AP exam will be one of three: Art History, Italian Language and Culture, or European History. Comment and convince me.
And no, I'm not dead, I just have five AP courses and no time to think, never mind post. That is all.
Edit: Additionally, I got my schedule for APs in May.
Wednesday May 3rd, AB Calc 8:00 AM
World History Noon
Thursday May 4th, English Literature 8:00 AM
Wednesday May 10th, Chemistry 8:00 AM
Friday May 12th, Latin: Vergil Noon |
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| (no subject) |
[Dec. 17th, 2005|02:06 pm] |
Flight leaves for Dresden in 4 hours!!!! Squee!!
I'll try and post from there if I can, although I can't make any promises.
CIAO!! |
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| Why I didn't like Barber of Seville |
[Nov. 12th, 2005|12:43 am] |
I'm going to compare Verdi to Rossini here, just for the purpose of this pseudo-review. I love Verdi. I am a Verdi fanboi. I loved every moment of Aida, sat stunned at A Masked Ball, and an desperate to see Rigoletto, ASAP. Rossini, compared to Verdi, is so not worth the money for the tickets.
To start, I'd just like to point out that Verdi operas, and Barber are about the same length. The story lines are about the same degree of complexity. The difference is in how the two composers get the story lines to go that long. Verdi has a continuous flow of new, beautiful music. Rossini apparently enjoys simply repeating things, over and over again, until you want to jump from the balcony, slam into the chandelier, and crash into the pit, in the style of Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Verdi is a master of the ending of the act. If it fits, everyone is on stage, singing different harmonious parts, and the result is overpoweringly spectacular. If it's a small group on stage, such as in Aida, it is beautiful, simple, and deeply sad. Rossini just cant seem to pull off the grandeur and beauty. The music isn't strong enough, and the result is pretty much: "oh, it's over now, time for intermission/going home"
The opera company is great. The problem is, it was a well done production of a highly mediocre opera, in which the only real high points are the overture and the Figaro aria, both of which happen before the end of the first scene. Ugh |
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| (no subject) |
[Oct. 31st, 2005|12:18 am] |
Halloween Party=Success
*collapses* |
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| (no subject) |
[Sep. 25th, 2005|12:40 am] |
Purchases of the day:
First Season of Queer as Folk on DVD
The Plays from Barnes and Noble, including The Way of the World by William Congreve, She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith, and M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang
And had the damn ATM worked, I would have all of Madama Butterfly on cd, but it didn't, and my Puccini fix is getting too strong to handle. |
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| (no subject) |
[Sep. 20th, 2005|12:01 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  tired | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Aida | ] |
Ok, so new custom in the life of Dan: Daily trips to Barnes and Noble to do text book based homework and drink coffee in the Starbucks. I got what woould be 1.5-2 hours of work at home done in 1 hour in the different atmosphere, it makes me very happy. I'm also happy because my latin translating ability is coming back, and I had a significantly long conversation with Rosie, consisting of about 40-60% French. I think I want to do the exchange, if only because it's Rosie and Collins. Honestly, how could you say no?
Ooh, and Rome is awesome, everyone should watch it. |
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| Weird crazy women...woman...o I just don't know |
[Sep. 15th, 2005|10:08 pm] |
Finished the second play in the line-up, Three Tall Women by Edward Albee. Great book, really interesting idea. I love the concept of the three women as different ages in one woman's life, their interactions make the whole story much richer. The really brilliant part though, is that not only does it take a little while for the audience to get used to it, it takes a while for the characters to get used to it too...it's an experience, I highly recommend it.
Next on the list should be The Dutchman by Amiri Baraka, but he's a tad scary and very anti-semitic. I mean, I want to read it, just as an experience of the literature of complete assholes. The problem is, no one will carry the book, at least not since he wrote that poem blaming the jews for 9/11. So I'm just skipping him and jumping right to Waiting for Godot, then Three Sisters. The Congreve, the Goldsmith, and the Hwang are on order, I'm still deciding on a Hellman.
Speaking of which, if anyone's read The Children's Hour or Little Foxes, let me know, I need to pick which one to read. Merci, et bonne nuit. |
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| I <3 Greek Tragedy |
[Sep. 14th, 2005|11:35 pm] |
Ok, so I have given myself a task. Other than normal schoolwork and the AP with Margaret. I'm going to be reading as much of the AP English Literature material I can that we don't read in school. Meaning one thing from every author we don't have time for. Now granted, I don't actually believe I'm going to finish. But the books are pretty good, and at the very least I'll be a more educated person; the best case scenario is for me to be able to bring up more books on the AP. Logically, if there are more books at my fingertips, there's a better chance I'll be able to come up with more books to write about in response to theme questions, and faster.
I think it's a good idea, and it really isn't all that much work. I mean come on, it's just reading, essentially for pleasure. I'm just replacing the historical fiction books I normally read in my spare time with AP Lit classics.
So tonight I finished the Oresteia, by Aeschylus. I'm starting with the plays, tomorrow I'll start Three Tall Women by Edward Albee; I'm going alphabetically. Aeschylus was brilliant. Or at least better than Sophocles. I love the idea of the leader of the chorus actually taking part, and the chorus being part of the action, while observing and stating ideas at the same time. Also, I love Clytaemnestra and Cassandra. I mean, both completely off-beat characters, one's an avenging bitch and the other's a seeress who's completely lost her mind. But the writing in Agamemnon, their speechess...I think it's my favorite play of the three. As for the Libation Bearers, I love the scene at the grave of Agamemnon, it's just so chilling.
Anyway, the ideas of justice and fate will work great on the AP, and that whole great section at the end of the Eumenides where it's entirely about the future glory of Athens is such great political propaganda to bring up. I'm happy. |
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| (no subject) |
[Aug. 29th, 2005|02:33 am] |
Ok, I haven't updated in forever, it's kind of pathetic. O well.
The pile of books still doesn't have a home. Tomorrow I'm pulling some stuff down from my walls to make room for a Peabody Essex museum poster, a painted feather from Costa Rica, and an original 1848 map of Europe I still need to get framed.
My phone works, but the sim card died, so I need to put in everyone's numbers again, which kind of sucks.
Not much is going on, too much work for school, Boston on Thursday. I'm just sort of waiting around, anticipating the return to school. It's dull. |
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| Major Crisis |
[Aug. 23rd, 2005|11:38 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  frustrated | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Aida | ] |
Ok, so I'm in the middle of my every once in a while room clean up. I clean up my floor, then throw all of my books onto it, because they're all mixed up. I arrange them into piles and put them back on the shelves in order. Should be pretty fool proof, right? Apparently not.
After finishing most of the process, I have 2 and a half shelves worth of history books left. And one shelf open. This. Sucks.
And I'm hopped up on coffee. So this is gonna suck for hours. |
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| (no subject) |
[Aug. 9th, 2005|01:55 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  sleepy | ] |
Ok, so I don't feel like updating that much. Suffice it to say, that I have taken the French language, and turned it into a perfect tool for romantic perfection.
And guys that like both Shakespeare and the Talented Mr. Ripley have to be gay, right? I mean he likes Fight Club, which is still reasonable, I know gay guys who love the movie. He's more concerned with his appearance than other guys. He's smart, and it's about damn time I found someone gay on this trip.
Optimism, it always works. |
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| (no subject) |
[Aug. 7th, 2005|01:42 am] |
Grabbed:
True Story. A religion teacher assigned her class an essay on what makes a good Christian. One student wrote about praying nightly, say no to abortion, banning gay marriage, and donating money. The other student wrote about talking to God and allowing people to enjoy their lives, and supporting gay marriage. The day the teacher was to hand the papers back, she called up the second student and told him she would pray for him when he went to hell. The student asked why would he be going to hell, and why he got an F on his paper. The teacher told him that Catholisim is against gay marriage. The student looked at her for a minute, then said aloud, "I'm gay." The teacher kicked him out of class as if he had said fuck or worshiped Satan. A girl in the back of class who had a boyfriend and was obviously straight got up and left too.
If you would leave the classroom, repost this. It doesn't matter if you're straight, bi, or gay. It doesn't matter if you're catholic or not. Everyone is a human being and deserves happiness.
Ok, moving along. Woke up this morning at nine, on the road to the airport by ten. We get there, and there's a one hour delay. Damn. The only thing to amuse me other than my book was the family of hot amish guys. Ok, maybe not so bad.
We finally board the plane at 1:25, and arrive in Miami at 4:07. Most. Boring. Airport. Ever. Nothing to do for a two hour delay. So I start reading the history summer reading book, The Devil in the White City. It's about the Chicago 1893 World's Fair, an it's awesome. Really well written, almost a novel. Makes me happy.
Unfortunately, it started pouring. So my father and I sat in the plane for 3 hours before we could leave Miami. It sucked. No hot amish guys this time either.
We finally arrive in San Jose, 11:30 Costa Rica time, get driven to the hotel, and now I'm here. Beautiful Marriott. Instead of mints, we get chocolate covered guava jelly. My life is complete.
Wake up at 6:00, and then out with the Power Users (computer geeks) to the volcano. Squee |
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| SQUEEEEEEEEEEE!!! |
[Aug. 6th, 2005|09:16 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  excited | ] |
I LEAVE FOR THE AIRPORT IN 15 MINUTES!!!! I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!
Ok, normal voice now. My flight's at 1, we're getting to the airport early, because this is America, and I get there around seven. I'll post daily if I can with updates and stuff, because I should have access.
ARRIVIDERCI!!! |
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