What Christmas Means To Me

As I sit here taking a break from the preperations for Christmas dinner tomorrow I have to watch one of my personal favorite shows; Tin Man (a continuation of The Wizard of OZ.) I love this mini series. It talks of family, friends, strength, courage, love, commitment, and of course, home. I can't help but think how much I miss home and my family.
This is not my frist Christmas away from my parents and it definately won't be the last. However when I start to feel homesick I start to think of the things that I have that others do not. I have a place to live, food to eat, a job to support me, friends, parents just a phone call away, brothers who'd do anything for me, sisters who, while sometimes annoying, make me laugh, family living close by (my roommate is my cousin after all), God who loves me even when I forget, and people who listen as I vent. I have this when others don't. Of course if this doesn't work I call my mom who I can trust to make me feel better.
If everyone did this when they were feeling bad or sad or something along those lines the world might just be a little bit brighter; even on these cold and blizzardy days. So as I finish this post I think of the things that I have to finish for tomorrow's dinner I think of the things I'm thankful for this Christmas and take comfort in that. This is what Christmas is to me: to be thankful and grateful for what we have, not dwell on the past but use it for reference to the future and look forward to what is yet to come, whether it be good or bad. That's why Christ gave his life for us so we celebrate his birth. That is what Christmas means to me.
Merry Christmas!

Developements

So I am pretty excited. I am finally going to put my skills with the camera to the test. Today at work we were shooting a commercial and I was the one shooting it. It's pretty awesom because I get to use this state of the art equipment that is only reserved for the ones in charge of our commercials. Its a big deal because they never allow anyone to shoot these commercials unless they've been there a few years. So about this commercial. I had to shoot it about the department that I work in. Since i work in the Chinese kitchen in the store I had to shoot the 3 people who were working there today Trang (the assistant manager), Karen and myself (yes I got to be in my own commercial.
It was pretty awesome. I got to write, direct and act in it. That is my dream career; write, direct and act in my own films. We were pretty excited about it. Unfortunately I couldn't put it up here but if you live in any area that has a Dillon's Store you will be able to see it in a couple of weeks. I'm going to try and put it up on YouTube once it comes out and then put it up here so here's hoping.
So keep reading to get developements.
Catch Ya on the Flip Side!-P

Veteren's Day Tribute

So I know that Veteren's Day was yesterday but I wasn't able to post anything because of being so busy. I wanted to thank the men and women who serve this country in the past the present and those who will yet serve. I want to give a shout out to some very close friends of mine who are serving in Iraq and Afganistan. While I won't reveal their names for their saftey, I will say that I more than appreciate what they do everyday. May God bless them with safety and a safe return home.

LIFE..

Who knew that the game of LIFE was so correct sometimes? I sure didn't think so untilo today. Today started out a fairly decent day; I woke up and got my check (it was pay day),I went to my brother's, since ti was his day off, and we went to go see about getting new tires for the front of my car. Now my car is not the most reliable; I mean its an '83 T-Bird, its old, but it gets me from point A to point B (in town) which is what I need right now. Well, no one, no matter where we go, has tires that will fit it. That's fine, I had been thinking about gettinjg another car because this one was making strange noises and I get into a lot of arguments with it; plus I have the money saved up and I can afford it at the moment. Well that was when the day started going downhill. No one had a car in my price range until we went to a dealership on the edge of town. I found an excellent car and I tested it out, drove it and I fell in love. I was ready to sign the paper work and buy it. it was perfect, how could I turn this down? Well, when you only work at a place for less than 6 months you can't take out a car loan to make monthly payments without a co-signer. Well the only person able to co-sign at the moment would be one of my brothers but its not going to work out. So I am stuck with a car that needs new front tires because I fill them up with air once a day.
Well I had to be at work at 4 and I got there on time and I find out I get to clean the grill tonight. The grill and I are no longer on speaking terms, so to speak. my hands are all tore up from the scrubbers and the cleaner. I got off an hour late, and now I'm sitting here waiting for a call about a potential job even though I should be sleeping because I have to be up at 4 am to get to work at 5 am to work the salad bar.
Like I started with, "who knew LIFE was so acurate sometimes?"

Differences of Lives: Past, Future and Where I’m At Now

I have been wondering as of late, why did I choose this as my career? Why did I choose one of the hardest industries to get into as my career choice? Not many people can decide what to do with their lives but I knew when I was in the third grade that I would have a career that involved writing. I hated writing before I went into the third grade but my teacher, Mrs. Fritz, was the coolest teacher and she didn’t make writing feel like something I had to do for school but something I wanted to do. I knew that writing was my calling. However, as time wore on I found other things that were my calling as well. When I was twelve I went to girl’s camp and I was in our skit as King Solomon and I knew that acting was my calling then. Then I started going to public school in high school and film and photography was my passion. I love all of them, writing, acting, filming and photography. I knew that I wanted to do something with my life that included all of them. I chose the film industry because I could do everything that way. I could write, direct, act in and produce my own movies and they would all need set dressers and I can take pictures on my breaks of what was going on around me. This was perfect for me. However, I had to choose just one to go to school for. I chose film because I’m not the greatest expert when it comes to parts of it and I want to emerge myself into this and learn all aspects.
There were road blocks though; the main one: money. Money and the lack there of. So to help to achieve to go to school for this I went to work because I couldn’t get very much in scholarships, it never even paid a quarter of one year’s tuition and it’s a four year school. I’m not going there anymore but I’m still paying off one year and so I can’t really afford to pay for another school until I finish paying this one. I found the school I really want to go to and can afford to but getting there is going to be hard because I have to pay for living and living there is expensive, they don’t have dorms so I have to live on my own off campus. That seems to be going right but right now I’m feel as though I’m not doing anything with my life.
As I started with I started wondering and questioning myself. I can’t help but wonder, am I having a midlife crisis before I’m even 20? I realized that when I started this blog I was having the time of my life and I wanted people to see the cool people that I interacted with on a daily basis. Most of them I have no idea as to who they were or what their stories were. I just asked random questions. Most of them loved it and I know my friends loved going around and doing that sort of thing. I haven’t even been able to put any videos up and that was the reason I started this. I love going through these videos but my computer rejects the ones that I do have. The rest were either stolen or in my camera that went over Niagra Falls. I had fun in living in New Jersey. I had weekends off and my friends lived in NYC so I could go up and stay with them and we went everywhere on weekends. We went to Niagra Falls, camping in Maine, skiing in Vermont, went down to Miami for the heck of it, sky diving in Washington state, went do to Washington D.C. for the inauguration and even went up to Vancouver in Canada a few times. I was living and having a great time. However, here I seem to be withdrawing and going back to who I was when I was in elementary school. A girl who didn’t get out and didn’t have fun. It’s not as though I don’t try to get out but it seems that every time I do go out something happens that throws things off. Why is it that I had no trouble making friends when I was living in New Jersey and Indianapolis, here, I’m surrounded by family but even then sometimes I don’t feel welcome and I have been here since April? I don’t even feel welcome at church. There is one place where I feel like I belong here but I don’t want to think that that is the only place where I can be around people who know me and accept me for me. The only place is at work and I hate going half the time because I have to work at the Chinese kitchen half the time and the rest of the time I’m working produce but I love working produce. There I have people who I consider to be my equals. They are all my age and we all are going to school for the same industry. Film; a common denominator that brings us together. Maybe I’m not questioning my career choice; maybe I’m questioning my place in this world? Where am I supposed to be at that I can do what I want to do, but also feel like I belong?

When Good People Get Screwed Over!

For the past few months I have worked my backside off to put away money and I have not worked that hard to get screwed over by my own customers. Let me start at the begining. I found out last Friday that someone has been taking my debit card while I have been working and using it to buy whatever. All I know of it is that they have stolen close to $800. I have put claims in with my bank but I am just so frustrated! Because of this the plans that I have had for my movie, vacation, and school have been put on hold because this is going to take a long time to work out. Whatever, I just have to keep up my spirits and try and get through this as quick as possible. I ask that you keep reading this blog and soon I will get some videos up soon and get you guys posted on my movie. Catch ya On The Flip Side!-P

A New Development

All right guys, by now most of you know that I will be moving to Arizona for school. At this time though I have a problem trying to decide what to do. My friend who was going to be moving with me has decided against going with the intent of love. So while she stays with her true love I will be going off to Arizona, alone. I love what I want to do with my career. I love filming, directing, acting, producing and all around just telling people what to do:-)I can't deny that last part, (just ask my brothers and sisters). So as much as I will miss out on having one of my best friends living with me I will still keep on with my goals and dreams and I will move to Arizona to a great place. I haven't decided as to exactly when I will be moving but I know that it will definately be moving to Sedona, Arizona either at the end of January or the end of May. I'm leaning towards the end of May because I will have more time to put together the things that I need and save the money up for living while going to school. Anyway, I should go before my computer dies.
I'll catch ya on the flip side !-p

Getting Movies Together

Hey guys I haven't posted a blog since I've moved here to Newton and, unfortunately, I won't be able to post movies until I get a new camera. Mine fell into Niagra Falls and well I can't take videos until I can afford a new camera.
Anyway, I thought that I would take a moment to talk about my movies. I say "my movies" because I am talking about the ones that I have written, am writing already, and the ones that I'm trying to put into production. I am currently trying to finish up the editing for the first episode of a miniseries that I have been writing for a year. I must say that while writing this I have had some challenges but none of them so great that I haven't been able to work on them. The biggest challenge that I have had to face was finding time for it. However, I am certain that this one, even though this is the fastest that I have written something, is one of the best that I have written. I hope to be able to do it justice. This will be my first movie that I will put together that will be more than ten minutes long. The last time I was working on a movie (apart from the small 2 minute videos for this blog) was for health class. This was on the effects of alcohol on people who abuse. On that one I was the director, lead, editor and writer. On some of the others that I have worked on I have been a little bit of all of them. On this movie I will be a little bit of everything as well but my main responsibilities will be write (obviously), director, producer, hair and make-up, costume designer, set designer and builder,lighting, special effects, and anything else that I have to do in order to get this off the ground.
This screenplay is sort of a sci-fi type movie you might see on the sci-fi channel but maybe not as gruesome. This is actually geared to make you think about possibilities and what can and may happen. I want to give people a sense of what happens in a life that people may not actually think exists in the United States but in some places it does, maybe not in so much extremes as I have portrayed it.
The things that I must find as I put this together is to find places for shooting it and supplies and getting enough money saved and put aside to put up for the costs of shooting and supplies. I have actually been able to find places to shoot but finding people to work without much pay is hard to get. I am hoping that I can rely on my family for help, which I probably can, but since I have to work a lot too I don't have much time for shooting or putting together schedules for people.
However, in this I am having fun. I hope that next time I will be able to put up a couple of my times in New Jersey and New York. Hope you guys are still reading and I hope that you are all doing well. Catch Ya on The Flip Side ;-)

Ok, I know that I have promised to put up videos ages ago, but I am still having some trouble with this blog. I can't figure out why I can't put my videos up so if you have any idea what the problem is let me know. Ok, that out of the way I was thinking that since I am moving tomorrow at noon, I'll put a few of my thoughts out there for you to consider. First: When a person goes to one place, why do they leave there with more stuff than when they first came? I mean, as I was packing everything up I only had two check-in bags and two carry-ons; these I brought here with me. I have only been here a total of 4 and 1/2 months. I have somehow ended up with too much stuff to take with me on the plane. So, I have had to digg deep into my pockets and ship 5 (that's right 5) big boxes and 2 suitcases back home to my mother. The sad part, I still have with me my laptop case and everything that goes into that (laptop, cables, disks, files, etc.), 2 HUGE and HEAVY suitcases, and another carry-on that is overflowing. Also, my pockets in my jacket are going to be full of stuff that I absolutly need but don't have anywhere to pack. As I think about it, I realize where all my money went (besides tution). Second: How is it that people are all for letting you interview them if it means they get to be on the internet or T.V.? Maybe, its because that gives them their 15 minutes of fame but does that have to mean they must seek me out whenever possible to give another interview? I don't really mind that but when I'm out with K,G, and M (the kids I care for), I really can't give another interview there because I have to work, that's what I get paid to do. Its not so bad here in Trenton, but when I go to see some of my friends in New York or in Philly I get stopped by people whom I have interviewed and they bring their friends along to try and get interviewed at that time. I really don't mind it but I have this to tell you: If I am with little children or a group of people please don't come up to me and ask for an interview. I have certain designated times that I do the interviews, certain days. I'll come to you, that's the whole point, to be completely random. Third: I have some of the pictures of some of the things that I have been doing here and I thought that I would post them. Tell me what you think. Now, some of the things are stuff I've done but the things that I have photographed because I enjoy the pure art that it is. I hope you guys have a great week and I'll think of some new things for the blog on the plane tomorrow. I'll catch ya on the flip side!P

Random Questions

Hey Everyone!

So I have some of the questions that I ask people in the videos up. I thought you might like to see how random I can be. However, some days, I will just ask something that isn’t even on these lists in order to be completely random. Below are the lists. Enjoy!



Fill in the Blanks
Tonight I am so _____________
Today was a __________________ kind of day.
Our weather was _________________this morning.
My favorite time of day is _____________________.
The last thing I do before I go to bed at night is _______________________________.
I wish that I could go _______________________.
The first thing I do in the morning is __________________________.
I should have ______________________ yesterday.

What Are Your Favorites?
Pair of Shoes?
Jacket?
Scarf?
Way to do your hair?
TV show?
Actor?
Actor over 50?
Actress?
Actress younger than 20?
Animal?
Age to be?
Shampoo brand?
Toothpaste?
Place to buy Clothes?
Place to buy cheap stuff?
Place to get Ice Cream?
Store to buy groceries?
Halloween Costume?
Childhood Memory?
College?
Grade?
Class in High School?

Some other Random
Do you go to church?
Do you pray?
Do you wear contacts or glasses?
Who is your favorite reality T. V. star?
Do you color your hair?
How often do you wear make-up?
Describe yourself in three words.
Describe your best friend.
What is your favorite thing to wear?
Do you wear jewelry?
What car would you buy if you could afford it?
Do you get easily embarrassed?
When you were in school, did you speak up in class? Did you sit in the front or the back?
If you were in your yard, front or back it doesn’t matter, what are you most likely going to do?
When did you first see your significant other?
Do you have a green thumb?
Are you a good speller?
What kind of critters are you scared or nervous of?
Do you collect anything? What?
What is something that makes you cringe?
Do you have any weird habits? What?
How well/fast do you type?
Do you prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it?
Which would make you feel more appreciated by you DH/SO: bring home flowers, doing a chore without being asked, or asking you out on a “date”?
Do you wake up easily in the morning or require coffee, exercise or something else to get you going?
Are you anxious about anything today?
What is something fun you are going to do today?
Would rather be in a really cold place or a really hot place?
Have you ever had a boyfriend you regret dating?
Do you feel older or younger than your current age?
What do you recycle at your house, if anything?
Who is the boss in your house? J
Do you buy lottery or Powerball tickets?
What is your own personal bedtime routine?
What was your favorite show as a kid?
What is your current favorite kids show?

Name Something
Wonderful
Wacky
Weird
Wild
Wrong
Well-dressed
Wool
Warm
Weak
Worn-out
Wise
Whole
White
Wet

I Am Wondering
What was your favorite book as a child?
What qualities do you look for in a friend? In other words what makes you really “click” with someone?
What task or project have you been procrastinating about for a long time?
What is a lie you often tell about yourself?
What is one piece of advice that was one of the best you have ever received?
What is an experience that you had where you couldn’t stop laughing?
What is the biggest purchase you have made in the last year?
Tell us about something (a certain food, place, habit, item, experience) or someone that you miss.
What is an area of your home that desperately needs organized?
Tell us something that you accomplished this week that you’re happy about.
What year did you graduate from high school, and have you gone to any high school reunions?
How many friends do you keep in touch with from high school?
What is the last thing you purchased?
Do you like to shop? Window shop?
Thursday used to be “must see TV night”. Name three shows that you think are “must see” TV.
Have you ever met an internet friend in real life?
Have you ever been in the newspaper: photo, stories, something you’ve written?
Would you rather dress up or dress casually when going out with your significant other or friends?
What are three things you’ve got planned for today?
Have you ever won a trophy? What for?
What kind of music do you dislike the most?
Are you registered to vote?
What do you do if you can’t sleep at night? Do you count sheep, count stars, wink 40 times, etc?
What is your favorite pizza?
What kind of water do you drink? (Tap, bottled, flavored, etc).
What shoes do you regularly wear?
What is your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?
When was the last time you were sick?
How is your start to spring? Cold? Warm? Allergy laden?
If you were to dress up for a special date, what would you wear?
If you were to describe yourself as child in one word, what would it be?
If you had to name one situation that would overwhelm your courage, what would it be?
Tell us about your very first job.
What grosses you out?
What is your favorite color to wear?
What did you do last night?
If you had to choose between these choices for a day out, which would you pick?
A) Music (a symphony concert)
B) Art (a trip to the museum)
C) Dance (going out dancing or taking a dance class of some kind)
Which fast food restaurant, in your opinion, makes the best fries?
How much hair product, if any, do you use in the mornings?
Does you DH/SO workout? Regularly? Not so regularly? What does he/she do it for?
If you had the choice of birthday cakes, what kind would you want someone to make for you?
When hanging around the house, do you wear shoes, go bare foot, wear socks, or wear slippers?
If you could replay any moment in your life, what would it be?
What one thing would you really like to own? Why?
How late were you up last night?
What is your middle name?
What does your first name mean?
Were you a jock, prep, Goth, or what in high school?
Have you ever had surgery?
Have you ever had a broken bone?
Did you have any dreams last night? If so, what were they?
Do you sleep on your, back side, or stomach?
Do you take vitamins?
How often do you exercise?
How many sodas do you drink in a day?
Do you think you have a good sense of humor?
What is your best joke?
What is your most inappropriate joke?

Favorites
Car?
Food?
Shirt?
Memory in junior high?
Christmas present to receive?
Sleepwear?
Lip gloss/chap stick?
Color pen?
Sport?
Team?
TV Show?
Movie of all time?
Quote?
Kids’ Movie?
B-Movie?
Sauce?
Poem?
Conditioner?
Shampoo?
Embarrassing moment?
Body wash?
Website?
Subject in Elementary school?
Book?
Piece of art?
Picture of your child, niece or nephew, grandchild?
Memory?
Cleaning product?
Song?
Scent?
Pet peeve?
Cookie?
Dessert?
Casserole?
Album?
Celebrity to dream about?
TV show to talk about?
Kids’ board game?
Grocery store?
Way to live?
Country?
Place to visit?

Group Check In!
Tell me your ‘happy’ or ‘crappy’ of the week/weekend.
Let’s do high’s and low’s of the week/weekend.
Time for roll call…. This one works best online. (Ask everyone’s name, location, whatever, and include some random questions of your choice.)



It’s Your Turn!

Okay you guys, it’s your turn. If you have any random questions that I can use send them my way. I’ll try and use some of yours along with mine and watch out for them.

(Note: due to difficulty with the blog I have yet to put videos up. Don’t worry though; I’m almost certain I have it this time. You’ll get them in no time.)

Catch Ya on the Flip Side!)

Breaking News!!!!

All right guys I have some news. It kind of bums me but I'm happy about it too so... I don't know, I'll tell you what it is and then I'll let you decide what to make of it. I'm moving. Next month on the 13th. I know I only just got here in December but I need to leave and do something new. I'm actually moving to Kansas so I'll have family around me so that's always a plus but I just feel like I'm taking a step back. Don't worry I'll stil have this blog and I'm going to continue making videos to post up so all can see. But because I'm moving so quick I won't be able to post any videos up until after I settle down in Kansas. So I'll be posting up the videos of the east coast so all can see what I have done here and some of the mischief that I got into. Don't worry I'll still ask random questions to people I meet in the streets but instead of it being Jeff, Matt and my self it'll be my cousin Cat and myself. I'll be moving to Witchita, so it won;t be right with my family but close enough that if my brothers need me to baby sit at the last minute and I'm not busy I can help them out. So some of the people helping me besides Cat would be Bobby, Luke, Vince and Pat (my brothers). I think it'll be good but until I leave here and get to Witchita I won't be going to many places so there won't be a lot of pictures.
I think I'll let you decide if this move is a step back or a move in the right direction. So until next time read on and I'll catch ya on the flip side!P

Get to Know Me First

Hey guys! As this is the first entry for this blog I thought that this would be a good time for you all to get to know me and where I'm coming from.
First and foremost I should say that I absolutly love film. I love anything to do with the whole production of making a movie, documentary, whatever; I love it. So, the reason that I got into filmming was becasue of two of my teachers. H and B.D. These two helped me realize what I didn't know that I was able to do. I always had wanted to take a photography class and I was given the chance to by H. I took his Photojournalism class and I learned how to develop film using the dark room and analize pictures to have them looking their best for the yearbook, school newsletter, school moniter or just for myself. I learned a lot in that class, but I didn't learn enough, so I took the next semester Advacned Photojournalism so that I could learn to get better shots and learn more about how to set apertures just right and everything. I couldn't take anymore of his classes because it was my senior year and there wasn't anything offered for me but i was able to take some of B.D.'s classes as well and I took animation and film motion. I learned so much from those classes and I love learning so I was disapointed that I couldn't take more of his classes. I knew that I wanted to go to acting school because I absolutly love acting and I considered becoming a director or something along those lines. It wasn't until I got called by the Art Institute of California in San Francisco that I really considered becoming a director and then I decided to put my application in there and I had to get recomends from two teachers and the first names that came into my mind were H and B.D. So I asked them if they would give me recomendations and of course they said yes. I had forgotten about the application recomendations until one week before graduation and I had been talking to my advisors about getting into school and I hadn't recieved an acceptence letter yet but I was told that I had gotten in. I was exstatic. Later that day I got to acceptence letter and I recieved a hand written note from the Dean. He told me that apart from my skills and talents I got into the school because of my recomendations from H and B.D. At graduation I sought out H and B.D. and I told them and I was ready to start crying as I was telling them. I had found out that they both were retiring that year and so I never really thanked them properly so right now I'm taking this opportunity to thank them soooo much. I owe you guys.
I don't think my parents expected me to go into the entertainment industry. I don't think anyone in my family thought I would. Growing up as the fifth child of seven I think they figured that I would do something like childhood education or something because I was a nanny for my aunt during the summers and I really loved watching my two cousins during the summers. I got really close to them and I was able to understand one part of my family a little better. With four older brothers one would think that it would be hard for me to do anything without them getting in the way and trying to run my life but I had more of that problem with my two younger sisters. I am actually supported by all of my siblings but sometimes I do wish that I could be closer to them. Although if I were closer to my brothers (location wise) I think that my dating life would go downhill. No it wouldn't be too bad. Actually when it comes to dating I just like to have fun and not be comitted to anyone. So if they were closer to me they couldn't interfere. But I digress.
So being the fith child my older brothers have made it clear they do not want me to follow in their footsteps and I have always said that I would never follow them because they have all made some questionable decisions; which is one of the reasons why they support me so much. My parents support me as well, sometimes a little too much and on days I don't always want to hear what they have to say but I love them and I appreciate all that they do for me.
The reason why I'm starting this blog originally was because of my current job. I'm a nanny here in New Jersey and as I take care of these kids I have to come up with creative ways to keep them occupide. I came up the idea of taking my video camera with me whenever we went out or when we were just having a good time in the house and as time progressed I would put all of that together to make a video for them for when I left here to go to film school. Well as I was taking these little clips I would run into interesting people either at stores or in the parks or wherever we went. Well I started interviewing these people with just random questions and I got some very interesting quetions. Some of these people I know and some of them I don't. I can't post these up at the moment but in a few weeks when I got this completely up and running I will have video clips of the interesting people whom I encounter each day and of some of the interesting places that I visit. Come September when I head out to San Francisco you'll get to see my trip and my new life.
So have fun and leave me some comments. I'm always up to improving what I could do better. If you have random questions that I could ask people let me know. I look forward to getting this out there and allowing people to see who I am and what I love to do. Also, these pics are from my time working in Indiana. This is M and L and Monument Circle in Downtown Indianapolis. (I didn't take this picture. If you can look close I'm up there on the left side of the steps in shadow. I just slipped in that pictre while I was talking on the phone; to the people taking the picture ironically. You can't see them but Matt and Jeff are across the street at the Gourmet Ice Cream Shoppe laughing at me.)
Catch ya on the flip side!P