Category: entertainment

Emu Drum Solo

indigoshellLeave a comment

In my summer camp, we had a program called the ASIT program. ASIT stands for “Assistant Specialist in Training,” and they’re basically advanced campers that are between campers and counselors.

Many campers become ASITs, but just as many, perhaps more, don’t get the sacred letter. ASITs get to dig a little deeper into the camp; doing the behind-the-scenes work such as cleaning pastures and and taking care of new and baby animals. They are almost the equivalent to “student leaders,” or “prefects,” for any dormers out there.

There are three things you can do to increase your chances of being an ASIT. First is join the ASIT for a Day class, which is an hour of trust-building games and another hour of showing us the jobs of an ASIT. Meaning we have to clean a large enclosure, such as the barn or Lemur Island.

The second thing to do is to write a letter to Lori, one of our camp directors, about what you could bring to the ASIT program. It’s similar to a college application letter, in which you have to sell yourself fully. The third thing is to get a letter of recommendation from one of your counselors, which is something campers generally can’t control.

Hanging by our cafeteria are about two dozen hammocks of various shapes and sizes. After lunch my cabin sits in the hammocks and we wait for Free Time to start. I usually write in my journal during that time.

He had dark, curly hair, stocky body, olive-colored cap, light blue shirt, and was comfortably writing in a large, colorful book. He was an ASIT, and was sitting a little in front and to the right of me. The fact that he was also writing, I think poetry, caught my eye.

At the end of the session, he got up on stage during Skit Night and told us how he mucked out the Back Pastures for four hours. Then he grabbed a rake and started singing.

More than a dozen emus reside in the Back Pastures, and emus tend to make a peculiar drum-sounding sound deep in their chests. In the middle of the ASIT’s songs, he struck a pose, pointed in the direction of the Back Pastures, and declared “Emu Drum Solo!” He held that pose for about 30 seconds.

Every time we would try to laugh he would shush us harshly. He even started over once because he was so determined to perform the song perfectly “Four hours!” he yelled at us, “I was out there for four hours!”

The Intouchables

Daphne PsaledakisLeave a comment

When I mention the movie “The Intouchables” to someone, they most often hear “The Untouchables.” While I hear good things about “The Untouchables,” I’ve never actually seen it, and I’m sure it couldn’t even compare to “The Intouchables.”

“The Intouchables,” which is a French film, came out in 2011. It follows the story of a wealthy paraplegic man in search of an assistant. During his interviews, a man storms in and adamantly requests him to sign a paper saying that he applied for the job, but didn’t get it, in order for him to receive unemployment. It is obvious that Driss comes from the lower-class, spends much of his time in the streets, may have a questionable past, and a poor work ethic. However, Philippe, the man hiring, takes to the fact that Driss has no sympathy for his condition. He doesn’t treat him as an invalid or an outcast. He treats him as he would anyone else. Philippe decides to hire him, despite warnings from people close to him.

What ensues is a comical friendship, where both men learn from each other. The dynamic duo breaks all the rules that have been set for paraplegics. Driss teaches Philippe how to live again, despite his condition, and Philippe teaches Driss about the rewards of giving one’s all to their work. The two push each other to be the best they can be, despite the internal and external flaws of each man.

The film is based on a true story, and is simply amazing. It is definitely one of the better movies I have seen. The filming was very well done, and the characters provided laughter at every turn, even at times coaxing out a tear or two. I watched this movie over the summer with my dad, and at the end of it, we looked at each other and said “wow.” There is really no other way to describe this movie. I’m surprised by how few people have seen it. It is definitely on my list of must-sees, so if you haven’t already, go and rent it as soon as you can. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Dumb Laws

Daphne PsaledakisLeave a comment

I’ve recently become aware of some of the crazy laws that somehow exist in our country. Some of these are so ridiculous that I actually have to question whether or not they actually exist.

In Memphis, Tennessee it is illegal for a woman to drive a car, unless there is a man running or walking in front of it waving a red flag to warn approaching motorists and pedestrians.

It’s also illegal in Memphis for a frog to croak after 11 PM.

In Marshalltown, Iowa, horses are forbidden to eat fire hydrants. Imagine the back story behind that one.

In Massachusetts, it is illegal to go to bed without first having a full bath. Additionally, a woman cannot be on top during sexual activities, and no gorilla is allowed in the back seat of any car.

These are just a few of the many, many ridiculous laws in our country. For more, click here.

Monsters!

enternity1030Leave a comment

This summer, a movie called “Monster University” was fairly popular. I watched it with my friends, my family three times in total. And I still love it.

Monsters University is a 2013 American 3D computer-animated comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures.It was directed by Dan Scanlon and produced by Kori Rae.

If you have seen the “Monsters Inc.” you would then be really familiar with the two main characters – the one-eyed goblin Mike and the fuzzy blue scare-master Sully.

“Monsters University” told the story of the two monsters as students attending Scare U. The movie began with a brief prologue of Mike as a young monster. He studied hard and finally got accepted into his dream school – the MU. Mike believed in everything said in the books but lacked talent. Sully, on the other hand, got the gift of scaring ability. The story mainly showed how these two monsters learned from each other in order to achieve their goals and eventually became friends from enemies.

My personal favorite part from the movie is how different types of monsters have their own features and all their expressions are vividly portrayed.

The movie is both comical and meaningful. From the movie, people can not only find amusement, but can also discover some life lessons, such as how to communicate and treat others appreciation and honesty.

However, I am not really trying to dig out the very profound meanings from this movie, because it is still produced as an entertainment cartoon. I just found that each monster kind of represents different kind of people.

Well, human beings do look better.

Rush

Daphne PsaledakisLeave a comment

On Saturday night, I went to see the movie Rush. Going into it, I wasn’t sure how I would feel about a movie that focused solely on car racing. But the movie exceeded my expectations in every way.

Rush is a movie that focuses on the rivalry during the 1970’s between Formula 1 racers James Hunt and Niki Lauda. The film does a phenomenal job of creating three-dimensional characters who push each other to the breaking point, and at times, to the brink of death.

The filming of the movie was very well done, as was the soundtrack, the combination of which turned the races into intense and extreme moments, even for the audience. The actors fit perfectly together and managed to re-create a time and a lifestyle that we would never be able to experience for ourselves.

I was thoroughly impressed by the movie for many reasons. It was definitely one of the better ones I have seen this year, if not ever. Rush was very well done.

The Monkees.

enternity1030Leave a comment

VH1 documentary Behind the Music featured a 1960s band, “The Monkees” in the year 2000.

The show portrayed a profile of the Monkees starting with interviews with band members to tell the story of their rise from “pretend” band to bona fide pop stars, ones who sold 35 million records in 1967 alone.

The story began with the excitement of Monkees’ fans. They were screaming and so eager to break a fence to hug their stars.

Then following with archival footage and some stills, the story went back to the fall of 1965, when Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider, a pair of producers from Columbia Pictures, came up with an idea for a television series about a rock group.

Inspired by Richard Lester‘s groundbreaking comedies with the Beatles, A Hard Day’s Night and Help!, Rafelson and Schneider imagined a situation comedy in which a four-piece band had wacky adventures every week and occasionally burst into song.

The production began with The Monkees in early 1966 on NBC with fairly high popularity. The group contained four members – Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork and each of them was unique.

Later on they decided to form a real band instead of the comic actor-musicians. At their peak in 1967, the band outsold both the Beatles and Rolling Stones.

The show ended with each member’s life after the era of “Monkees” and their high point revival in 1986 in L.A.

The whole story brought the audience back to the 1960s which would be mostly favored by elder people, but it also provided the younger a sense of older generation’s life.

It could not be more comfortable to sit down and enjoy the past glory through the Monkees’ music.

Spirits of music.

enternity1030Leave a comment

During this summer, I met a subway musician at the Times Square Station, NYC.
It was a really, really hot afternoon and the air was just sticky and burning beneath the ground, especially in the subway.

His name was Peter Joseph Paul, a one-man-band, who played in the subway station with his music despite of the heat.


As a New york born musician, Peter formed his high-tech one-man-band and began performing in the Times Square subway station in 2007. And since then, he began to play at the station every Sunday evening from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Using the latest technology and electronics, Peter plays complex drum beats with his two feet, sings and plays guitar, all at the same time.

Sponsored by MUNY(Music Under New York), Peter is also an accomplished audio engineer, arranger, producer and songwriter. And his musical career started when he was 12.

(Picture from starnow.com)

“I write approximately 1-5 songs daily,” Peter said. “I have been writing for over 30 years.”

So far Peter has published two CDs  with his own songs – “Energy” and “Sum Night.” And the  next CD will be a masterpiece composed of many new styles of songs and more instrumentation, according to Peter.

“I don’t push my CDs on people,” Peter said. “If people like you, they will come up and ask you.”

During my visit, I met lots of underground musicians from all over the world and played various instruments. All of performances were exciting and enjoyable.

They are just the spirits of music who fill the subway stations with joy.

Small room, big art.

enternity1030Leave a comment

(Over the summer, I visited a small art studio called “Mascot” at the East Village in New York City. Within a small room, the artist was creating great art.)

The compelling window display is only an intro of this remarkable studio.

The real beauty is revealed behind the door, inside a small room of 250 square ft. with colorful portraits of animals and natural landscapes hanging on the walls.

Since 1982, Mascot Studio has been a landmark in the East Village, which was originally a painting space, and is now established at its present storefront location at 328 East Ninth Street.

For the past 25 years, the studio has continued to offer the variety of artworks from different artists and also personal service to the custom framing.

Peter McCaffrey, the owner of the studio, made the ambience of the room even more like home. The works speak out that McCaffrey was born to be an artist.

He demonstrates the insight of art through his own life experience.

Born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1956, Peter McCaffrey studied at the State Universities of New York at Buffalo and Farmingdale, and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 1979.

Unlike other galleries or studios, Mascot is particularly known for its eye-catching window displays which invite the passerby to enter the store’s charming ambience.

The studio not only exhibits and sells paintings, but also provides an unusual selection of custom moldings, vintage frames and mirrors, prints and photography.

The theme of nature and the animal world becomes one of the attractive highlights of the studio, which embodies original drawings and paintings by McCaffrey and other artists, mostly from the neighborhood.

The spiritual works of animals, however, became one of the most essential parts of the studio.

Something special about Mascot is its unique “Annual Dog Show.”
Starting in 1999, Peter McCaffrey has curated the “Annual Dog Show” in honor of our canine friends, and opens during the week of the Westminster Kennel Club Show here in New York in February.

The idea was inspired by Anne Watkins, a watercolor painter whose works were posted in the magazine “The Bark – Dog is My Co-Pilot.”

Watkins’ works focus on animals, especially dogs’ portraits. She works from life, using watercolor to capture and represent animals’ daily moments.

Within such a small space, people come in and visit the works including paintings, photographs and sometimes sculptures, a full collection of artists’ visions on dogs.

The last Dog Show was held at Madison Square Garden on Valentine’s Day. The show was opened to everyone and there were also works for sale.

Mascot Studio has remained unique as an artist-run business settled in the Big Apple.
Summer days are quiet for the studio, but it never slows down for McCaffrey.

“It is not easy being an artist in NY these days,” McCaffrey said. “The cost of living is high here, so many artists have moved to the outer boroughs.”

The East Village is still a very diverse neighborhood with rare and expensive studio spaces.

“Commercial rents like my studio/store are not regulated so I feel my days are numbered,” said McCaffrey. “Making a living only on one’s work is difficult.”

However, this artistic heart would will be knocked down from of the tough conditions.

“It is part of my nature to want to keep making art,” McCaffrey said. “And it is very satisfying when I am in that ‘zone’ of creativity, It is like meditation which takes practice and discipline.”

Now I See You.

enternity10301 Comment

“One-two-three, turn; One-two-three turn.”

Following the beat, I watched myself in the mirror as someone else.

She turned slowly with caution and every movement she did seemed so fragile. She stepped forwards and then backwards so skillfully, as if nobody could trace her pace. Her face, however, was a little nervous. Everything was perfect except one thing – confidence.

Then the music ceased.

I walked closer to the mirror and tried to touch the person in it. But I couldn’t see her anymore. She faded away with my curiosity and hope. At that moment, I assured myself that one day I would find her back. And since then, she became my dream.

I was six.

A year later I went back to that dance studio with a group of kids who were much older than me.

I gripped my mother’s hands and I could clearly feel myself shaking with fear.

The first dancing class of my life was vividly impressed in my mind. I was the youngest dancer in my class, but the most talented, my teacher Ms. Li told me. I hurt so bad when the teacher stood on my both knees in order to stretch my legs. I hated Li.

Since then, my spare time was filled with dancing and Saturday’s schedules changed into a regular pattern with two hours dancing class in the afternoon.

I cried every single time before I stepped into the classroom to see Ms. Li. I was frightened by her serious face and the intolerable pain she gave me. But I would always dry my eyes completely and then turned to the studio happily like nothing had happened.

I endured all the pain and after class, I would always spent some extra hours practicing at home.

God, I wish I could be a dancer in the future. I did love dancing.

Two years later, I was surprised to see my great improvement.

“Thank you all for these unforgettable three years. You are all wonderful dancers. Now it’s time for you to put on these ballet shoes and be a beautiful swan. Don’t forget to think about yourself when you dance. Use your heart to dance, not your body. ”

Ms. Li sobbed a little when she left and gave me a smile and I swear that was the warmest smile I had ever seen. I didn’t hate her anymore.

I put on my pink ballet shoes. It took me half an hour to tie them well before I could actually stand up with them.

I was shocked. The person in the mirror was incredibly gorgeous. It hurt a little bit when I stood with my toes but all the pain vanished as I started to dance.

The music pushed me into a fantasy in which I was able to touch my dream. I spun around like an innocent swan.

I danced and danced, for a long time.

That was the most beautiful eight years in my life.

After attending high school, I could not dance as much as I did before. But the joy of dancing has never disappeared.

I am not going to be a professional dancer anyways, but dancing is still my dream.

Dancing was the only way I can communicate with my soul and whenever I feel upset, dancing would comfort me and helped me to forget the pain.

I learned a lot from my experience of dancing. I challenged myself and struggled to present perfection.

Dancing taught me about life. Dancing provided me confidence and leads me to realize that dream was not always unreachable.

Putting on my pink ballet shoes, I took a deep breath and said to myself,

“One-two-three, turn; One-two-three turn.”

Following the beat, I am trying to find myself in the mirror and suddenly a confident smile emerged.

Now I see you.

Phonebloks: The Phone of the future

callmemaybe32Leave a comment

Last night I was on Facebook, just cruising as I do and I see a link shared by my Dad’s company.

The caption of this video was this, “Very interesting idea. Would you adopt this phone technology? // #phoneblocks”

I was like, “well this might be interesting.”

I have had an iPhone for 5 years. I got the iPhone 3 on my 13th birthday, and from there I haven’t thought about having any other phone.

Droids have come out and the iPhone still seems better. The Galaxy series came out, and still the iPhone seems better, but this Blok phone is the 1st phone that I have thought about actually switching to.

This phone isn’t out yet, but the concept is great.

Electronic waste is an ever-growing thing in this world, and our phones are contributing to this issue greatly.

Our phones aren’t made to last, they are made to last until a new one comes out and then suddenly stuff starts to break.

This block concept eliminates the phasing out of the entire phone.

There is a block for every component of the phone, so if one breaks, you just replace that block.

It allows the user the ability to customize their phone. Photographers can upgrade to a bigger camera, old people can go simple so they know what the hell they are doing and don’t have to ask me how to press a button that says “phone” to use the phone.

(Love you mom).

This idea needs funding, and it needs to be spread across to all of the executives across the country so people know about it.

On October 29 they will send a blast out to all major companies to try to get the process rolling.

They need our help to get the word out.

Go to phonebloks.com and join the Thunderclap so that they can get enough people to make their dream a reality.

Not only could this introduce a brand new, very cool phone to the market, but it could cut down on waste and help the general well-being of the world we live in.