My Brothers

Daphne PsaledakisLeave a comment

One of the downsides of the schedule we have at OVS is that our spring break falls about two weeks after everyone else has their spring break, and that includes my brothers. This past week, they road tripped from Aspen out to where we used to live near San Francisco. They spent the week staying up there in a friends pool house, and then on Friday they came down to visit me at school.

They showed up around 10, just as morning announcements was starting. After announcements, I was able to catch up with them briefly before having to head off to class. My dad and Peter drove to Ventura to hang out while I finished my classes, while my youngest brother Philip joined me.

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Joyeux Noel

Daphne Psaledakis1 Comment

Years ago, I remember watching a French movie about war. In all honesty, that’s about all I remember, except for this one scene in the middle of a snowy field with an officer in blue standing in the middle. The actors spoke in French, and being fluent in French myself, I followed along as best I could. What I didn’t quite catch, I would refer to the english subtitles in order to interpret.

Because I was so focused on understanding what the characters were saying, I missed a lot of what was actually happening in the film. I do remember that it was amazing though.

This week in A.P. World History, we were assigned group projects. My partners and I were assigned a prompt asking us to compare what our textbook told us about WWI to the song “Christmas in the Trenches” by John McCutcheon. As I listened to the song, I suddenly realized that the scene being set by the singer was one somewhat familiar to the movie I had seen years before, Joyeux Noel.

This week, my research has helped me to understand why that movie was so amazing. I had no idea that it was reenacting the Christmas Truce of 1914, where soldiers on a battlefield during WWI called an unofficial truce for the holidays.

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The Rolling Stone is Wrong. Part Four.

smackyjackjackLeave a comment

I’m almost done with these lists, I swear. However, there are still a couple of lists that need to be corrected. Featured this time in part four of this series is why their list of the greatest albums is wrong.

The Actual Greatest Albums of All Time

1.   The Rolling Stone says: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band- The Beatles

      Jack Beverly says: Pet Sounds-The Beach Boys

Slightly before Brian Wilson went insane, he and the rest of the Beach Boys made what can be described in no other way than a pure masterpiece. Wilson produced this album in such a way where all of the instruments come together to make one pure and unique sound that flows all the way through the album. I cannot emphasize how unique and incredible the production is on this album.

2.   The Rolling Stone says: Pet Sounds-The Beach Boys

      Jack Beverly says: Exile on Main Street-The Rolling Stones

This is quite possibly the greatest rock n roll album ever made. Even though the album was made by several British people, it sounds so authentically Southern and true. Songs like “Shake your hips” and “Ventilator Blues” are jsut a few of the songs that get stuck in your head after hearing them. Plus, this album has some of the greatest, and most rushed artwork in music history.

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3.   The Rolling Stone says: Revolver – The Beatles

      Jack Beverly says: The White Album-The Beatles

It’s pretty hard to find fault with this album, or with the Beatles in general. The only reason I had a hard time choosing this album over anything else they’ve done is simply because it’s longer. Rubber Soul and Abby Road were easy contenders, but, once again, The White album is just longer. It is a pure masterpiece of the Beatles, and truly showcases all the were.

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Gleek Out

Daphne PsaledakisLeave a comment

Tonight, yet anther Glee episode will air. The show is in its fourth season, seventeenth episode. And it just keeps getting worse and worse.

When the show first started, I had no idea what it was about. I remember hearing my classmates talk about it almost incessantly, and finally, I watched the first episode. I liked it, but I wasn’t in love. I did like it enough to keep watching though.

The more I watched it, the more I enjoyed it. Until somewhere in the second or third season, I stopped watching almost completely, only to resume my regime at the beginning of the most recent season. But I have to say, out of all the seasons, even though I have stopped watching several times previously, this is by far, the worst.

The show has turned from a somewhat realistic portrayal of high-school life, minus the singing and dancing in school hallways of course. It used to be that the show addressed real issues, and it felt like I was watching actual people, not just actors following a script word for word.

That is no longer the case. The show has turned into a mash-pit of cheesy romance, roommate problems, cattiness, and  downright terrible acting.

I remember a particular episode a couple weeks ago, on Valentine’s Day, episode 14 called “I Do“. It followed the wedding of the show’s two favorite teachers, which was of course, on Valentine’s Day. Predictably enough, Mr. Schuester is left at the altar by the bride to be, and everyone else at the wedding has a one-night stand.

There was also a revolting amount of pink.

This episode was just one example of many other cheesy episodes this new season has brought with it. I’m disappointed with the direction this show has taken, and I hope they can get back on track. I sincerely doubt it though.

Season 4

Narduwar

displacedlocalLeave a comment

In the world of Hip-Hop you know you have made it when you get an interview from Narduwar the human serviette. He is a charismatic interviewer with a distinctive interview style.

He does extensive research on each person he interviews and finds out their musical influences.

Enough explaining this interview is fantastic, and really gives a look into the musical influences of these musicians.

A Blackened Journey

frog3Leave a comment

fefr

A man covered in soot walks into the desert.

He goes there, not to stain the desert with his blackness.

But to make peace between a fox and a snake.

A leader angry and dejected receives the blackened man.

Do the talks go well?

Yes the man and a leader walk arm and arm.

Their cooperation brings a sense of security to the desert.

Not all are happy however.

The snake bites repeatedly stabbing the man with his fang.

The leader and the blackened man do not care.

They part ways but remember each other.

Both will never forget what they promised.

“Left alone wondering”

callmemaybe32Leave a comment

Left alone wondering

Will it ever bloom

Will the time come with the June gloom.

Brighten up the day

In this spring time

Hopefully you’re mine,

For the summer time.

The sun shines down,

to expose all your beauty.

Will you be mine?

Forever and always

Yours Truly.

The Rolling Stone is Wrong. Part Three.

smackyjackjackLeave a comment

I’ve already discredited the Rolling Stone’s greatest guitarists list and their greatest singers list, so I might as well keep going and discredit their greatest artist list.

The Real Greatest Artists of all time

1.   The Rolling Stone says: The Beatles

      Jack Beverly says: The Beatles

Hey! Look at that we actually agreed. Well, I mean, it’s kind of hard to disagree on this one. I mean, the Beatles just are the best. I really don’t think there’s anyone out there that would disagree with us either. I mean, who hasn’t heard of the Beatles? And who doesn’t know the whole chorus to “Yellow Submarine”?

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2.   Rolling Stone says: Bob Dylan

       Jack Beverly says: The Rolling Stones

       I know, this list is not very original, but there’s no way the Stones are going anywhere below number two. It’s kind of strange how a couple of English kids made music that sounded so authentic and bluesy. Still, one of the greatest debates to have about music is what’s a better album, Beggar’s Banquet or Exile on Main Street.  It’s Exile on Main Street, in case you were wondering.

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3.   Rolling Stone says: Elvis

      Jack Beverly Says: Chuck Berry

      It might be easier to say who Chuck Berry hasn’t influenced. His style of guitar and just pure excellence drove the Beatles and the Stones to their first hit songs. Just like Robert Johnson was the father of the Blues, Chuck Berry was the father of Rock n Roll. His music transcended racial boundaries for one of the first times in music history. But don’t worry, even though he’s in his eighties, he’s still playing concerts around the world.

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Time to Design Life.

eternity1030Leave a comment

Recently, I have been doing a story on our school’s new costume design program. And as a approach to the story, I find myself also attracted by the power of design.

In the story, the concept of the “dress form” confused people a lot, especially for people who don’t understand the differences between a “dress form” and a “mannequin.” Therefore, I decide to write a blog to make it clear that these two items are TOTALLY different.

First of all, a dress form is a three-dimensional model used for sewing or displaying clothing. Tailors and dress makers use dress forms to work and construct dresses in order to make them more capable and fit to human bodies. Therefore, in my story, Ms. Beverly used a dress form to hold the bodice, so that her student can decorate it by hand.

Mannequins are derived from the concept of dress forms, but mannequins are mostly used to display fashion items such as dresses, handbags and coats. The first fashion display mannequin was made and used in France in the mid-19th century. Mannequins were first made of chewed paper and then made of wax, glass, and plastic. They usually have the arms and legs part. Therefore, a mannequin focuses more on the entire body effects.

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The Eagle takes the Desert

frog3Leave a comment

grg

The desert was once a peaceful place.

Dangers that existed were simply sand and time.

The Eagle however was not happy.

Collision and building of a great city shook the eagle.

Thus to take vengeance he flew to the desert.

The desert’s people could do little against the Eagle.

Although their leader was wrong he did not deserve an attack.

Those under the Eagle speak of why the desert was attacked.

The true reason lies in nourishment.

Nourishment of body.

Nourishment of machine.

Nourishment of the world.

The Eagle shatters the quietness of the desert.

Victory comes swiftly as the Eagle steals the life of the desert.