The Marveloddities

The Sorrows of David

2011-09-03T19:04:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am indeed alive.... I did not perish during the Summer because of the intense heat. I was almost consumed by mosquitoes though. It took a month for my skin to go back to white instead of white and pink polka dots.

Anyway my dearest little brother switched schools and is now not the center of attention in his new school. Poor David has sobbed about 3 of the 10 days he has been there. However he complains and sniffs and pouts the moment he gets back.

Apparently only a few people play with him. One of witch is a very witty Indian boy who asks him in his Indian accent, "David what do I have to do to get you to stop crying". My brother being so upset cried in front of his whole class for a whole hour. After that the vice principle came to talk to him and the shrink.

David has not taken all this emotional turmoil well so he cries a lot now. So I try to make him as happy as possible. Like when he came to me with tears in his eyes on Thursday night asking if I would watch t.v with him. I inhaled deeply and exhaled telling myself that God is good and he would help me finish my my test the next day. I still haven't found that power within me to finish the test.

Apparently my brothers decided to watch the 9/11 movie (which David knew they were not allowed to watch because they would never be able to get on a plane again) and he was not allowed in the room. So he and I watch the Frog Princess on my laptop via the fabulous Netflix.

Which was a traumatizing movie by the way. Why on earth does a Disney movie contain so much voodoo? I will NEVER visit New Orleans after watching that movie it was seriously creepy.

Anyhoo after we finish the movie I go to my room to get ready for bed and I find David sobbing at my door.

"David, what happened?"

"I,I...I cant remember it." He sobs while clutching his Rosary.

"Hail Mary full of grace....." I start to explain the Rosary.

"No not that one!"

I recite nearly every prayer I have ever heard in every language I know. None of them work for David.

After taking him to my brothers room they laugh and tell me that its the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.

Davids face lights up and he runs back to my parents room in triumph. I get no thank you.

Yes no thank you for Sophia the amazing sister who wasted hours for him.

I later learned that he's been praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy so that he wont cry in school. I instantly forgave him.

I hope school gets better for him, I can't take much more of his emotional state.

La Juventud del Papa

2011-08-31T19:01:00.000-07:00

So I went to that awesome, incredible, mind-blowing event in Madrid. It was probably the must fun I've ever had in my life, but even better because it was five days long. It's hard to describe the atmosphere you get when you put about a million teenagers in one space, for one cause, all excited out of their minds. But Marc Barnes (who has a really cool blog you should follow) already did.

Those Texan girls would be my friends from Houston. Yeah, we do talk about Catholic terminology in our free time.

Of Pitches and Jesus and Hockey

2011-03-09T19:10:00.000-08:00

Todd Koal is really cool, and it shows in his music, a nice blend of introspective lyrics and dreamy, effervescent pop instrumentation. You really should follow him on Twitter, like him on Facebook, and friend him on Myspace. But read this interview first!

1) Thanks for the interview! You describe your music as "transcendent acoustic pop." What exactly is transcendent acoustic pop?

Transcendent Acoustic Pop is something I came up with when I was working on my pitch. I used a website called http://www.15secondpitch.com . It entailed a lot of writing out all the various aspects of my music and also what I was trying to communicate through my music ... It was a really good experience... as it helped me define what I was doing and how I was going about it, as well as coming up with a catchphrase that defines my music in an interesting way that makes people curious. I highly recommend going to that site and doing the work that is required... It helps you get clear on what you are doing. As far as Transcendent Acoustic Pop as a genre... I would say it's where the song or music comes to some kind of conclusion or resting place where it can be observed without a lot of judgement, ending where it began with a new perspective. Having said that though I'm obviously still working that out.

2) What experiences or individuals have shaped you musically?

I remember as a little kid first being introduced to my parents music, back when actual vinyl records were all the rage. I listening to the rock opera Jesus Christ Super Star over and over and over. I probably wasn't much older than 4 or 5 at the time. I'm sure I could still sing a big chunk of that album straight from memory. It had a big influence on me. I think that's probably how I was introduced to Spirituality as well. Luckily I never had to go to Sunday school because that was the same morning my Dad would play hockey.... and of course watching him won out over sunday school everytime I'm Canadian eh.

3) Did you always know you wanted to be a musician, or did you realize it was your calling later in life?

I started playing guitar when I was about eight. I can remember learning timing in the kitchen with my Mom and crying because I found it so difficult playing notes and tapping my foot at the same time. I have always kind of been Physically challenged. I was in a head on collision when I was 21 and there were years in my life were my spine and neck where so unstable that playing guitar was completely out of the question. I've had major alignment issues most of my adult life but I can honestly say that I am physically stronger and straighter than I have ever been. Being a musician takes a certain amount of health. And that been a bit of a challenge for me.

I think I knew early in life that I wanted to be a musician because music had such a big place in my heart . Actually expressing myself with my voice came much later. I've always been quite shy and more comfortable being in the background. I had to blow through this personality trait before I could be comfortable being seen or heard as a musician. Putting myself out there has been a big step in my growth as an artist and even as an individual. I am finding that I can really get behind my new EP "Spirit is Flow" although it has had to happen in its own time and space, perhaps a little later in life. Hopefully with the time it has taken, I am a little wiser for it.

4) Some people really don't like to be compared to other artists, but I hope you won't take offense now that I do. When I listened to "Running to Stand Still," I instantly thought The Velvet Underground. And then The Cure. (That's always a good thing in my book, by the way) Regardless of my opinions, what musicians have inspired you most?

Wow Thanks for that Maria. I'm totally honored to even be mentioned in the same sentence as those bands. There have been a lot of musical influences in my life. The folk rock classics like Tom Petty, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, and Bob Dylan, all the way to more contemporary artists like Seal, Sting, Madonna and U2. Obviously The Beatles are on my list as are more recent pop stars like Cold Play and Pink, but the list goes on and on.... there are so many others.

5) Obviously, working without a major label to back you up is not easy for any artist. Has there ever been a point in your musical career that you felt like giving up?

You bet ! There have been many times where it seemed like I was not making any progress. There are a lot of different aspects involved in being an Indie Artist. Learning all the social media applications is very time consuming. Communicate effectively through social media is a skill I am still working on. Doing interviews, writing songs, recording, playing live, finding inspiration, working my vocal range, shooting videos, practicing, are not always convenient and no one is pushing me to do any of these things. You really need to be self motivated and completely realistic with yourself and what your expectation are. For example ... I am working on writing radio friendly songs that people can hopefully relate to. If they don't get played on the radio does that make the project a failure? The question you have to ask yourself is "Why are you doing what you're doing?" For me it is mostly about personal growth. Learning to be a better communicator. Being more at ease with the process. There are lots of things I'm not really comfortable doing within the whole realm of being a Indie Artist. That is where the gold is, showing up and being consistent and finding your way through. It's not easy or convenient... kind of like life. I do find that as I keep building towards my goals it helps in being consistent and staying focused on what my next steps are.

6) Random question: What's your favorite bubble-gum flavor?

Bubble gum

7) Any new plans for 2011?

Yeah I'm planing on shooting a Video Album of all of the songs on my new EP Spirit is Flow in the spring. Pretty much bare bones and raw... very acoustic not a lot of fluff. I'm sure I have a couple songs stirring around inside me somewhere ... so writing would be a good bet.

I'm also wanting to get more grounded with social media and putting myself out there. It's probably my weakest link, so I really need to work on it and I am learning, but more importantly to me... it's pushing my boundaries of comfortable. There's no evolution in comfortable and I am interested in growing as a person (spiritually) and evolving personally.

"And the further I go.... The less I know"

Hey just like that song...

What's it called ?

I think it's this song.

Willy Wonka

2011-03-08T17:10:00.001-08:00

Okay for a completely random post, my brother just brought my sister and I a pack of this gum. We are both currently gravely ill (I'm getting the flu and Maria Teresa has the flu) and sitting in our room. Maria Teresa was telling me about what to do with her possessions when she died (I get them all) and I was trying to do my Health homework. Then my brother walked in with the gum (even though I asked for Sprite) and you know what? IT TASTES JUST LIKE KEY LIME PIE! At first I was somewhat disturbed, then it tasted pretty good and after a minute or so of chewing, the taste has faded.

But really, go buy a pack of gum.

I mean, it's like Willy Wonka without having to sign a contract that gets smaller and smaller till you can't read it.

I have to go back to finding my body mass index, but I leave you with information that will change your life. So go buy a pack of gum! And umm.... while your at it say a prayer for me, I really don't want to get as sick as my sister.

Josette and I May Be Crazy. But We're Totally in Sync.

2011-02-21T18:30:00.000-08:00

Josette moved to Japan. Yes, you read that correctly, and yes, I was green with envy. The whole time zone deal really hinders communication, so whenever I see her on gchat or skype, my little heart skips a beat. The other day, we were gchatting, and I'm pretty sure that we've been communicating telepathically. And subconsciously.

josette: Help. Me.

me: Hey!

How?

josette.rophael: I have no idea.

Rewind the clock?

me: Uh...

Technically, I could do that by flying you back here...

That's easier said than done

What's the problem?

josette: It's midnight and I'm pretty much just starting my homework.

me: Oh, haha. Sorry :(:

What are you working on?

josette: Right now Environmental Science.

me: Oh, I did that in ninth grade!

I might remember some (Of course I didn't.)

josette: Really?

me: Yup!

And I passed!

By some miracle

josette: That's pretty awesome.

me: I thank God for that one

josette: Know anything about microalgae?

me: Tiny little algea?

algae

josette: That are apparently very oily

me: Hmmmm

What's the question?

josette: Possibly oily enough to solve our energy problems

me: Haha...Well... not really...

josette: haha well that is what some scientists think according to the given FRQ passage.

me: That's what Wikipedia thinks: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algae_fuel

OMG, I dreamed of your little brother last night!! (And this is where my ADD kicks in...)

josette: haha whaaa? why?

me: I have no idea. It was so weird. I dreamed that somehow I walked BAREFOOT to my grandma's house in CALIFORNIA - actually it was my aunt's house, but still, it's in another state- and your brother was there and he was SOOO NICE! Oh, yeah! And before that I was helping you with hw in Starbucks!!!!

That is so freaky

you had a nervous breakdown but I don't remember why

I think it was school related

josette: well that is just so comforting!

me: Haha, sorry

You kept chatting with Sofi, and I was like, Josette, maybe we should work on this, and then you started crying

so I packed up all our stuff and walked, shoeless, to my aunt's house

where my grandmother walked to the door to greet me

sans a walker

and your little brother was jumping on a trampoline

that was inside the house

josette: this is too good

me: and he ran up to me TO GIVE ME A HUG

?!?!?!?!!?!

Needless, to say, I was pretty much shocked into tears

josette: I am pretty much shocked into tears.

Your dreams are pretty insane.

me: Gosh, you don't even know the half of it...josette: I kind of want to know now though

then I started recognizing a bunch of people... and all my sister's friends were thereThe sequence was kind of weird.

josette: WE SHOULD START A DREAM BLOG

me: YES!

josette.rophael: Like how people have dream diaries

me: We should blog this whole chat to start

josette.rophael: haha ummm

maybe just your parts

me: Your parts offer a humorous deadpan
So, hopefully, I don't get in trouble with her for posting this. Because God knows oceans and countries mean nothing when it comes to Josette's wrath.

And My Favorite Superbowl Commercial of the Night Is...

2011-02-06T20:30:00.000-08:00

Because I'm a geek at heart ;)

Bring on 2011!

2010-12-31T21:01:00.000-08:00

Once again (thank God), the year has come to an end. This year has probably been the best year of my life. I went to Europe, I was invited to fashion week, I met Juan Carlos Obando, and design colleges have been calling me even though all I wanted was a pamphlet!

So I just want to reflect on some of the best moments of this year!

In Chronological Order-

I threw a birthday party for my dearest sister Maria Teresa. It was rock themed and just AMAZING!

Then I went to Europe, which was AMAZING.

Then Ximena's play (Guys and Dolls) and it was so funny and I just love spending time with her!

Then when Maeve, Maria Teresa, and I went to the mall, and we just stayed there all day. It was one of the funnest days of my life.

Then we went to my lovely PE teacher's mother's ranch which was a blast.

Maeve's Halloween Party.

Paulinas 15th birthday party.

Going back to Catechism, the most wonderful place on earth.

Piano lessons with Mrs. Blanca who is just plain amazing.

New York Fashion Week!

Going to visit my Aunt in Denver.

Visiting Woodlands Academy in Denver.

Going to this rinky dinky hole in the wall to see a concert with Andrea, Maeve, Kevin, Kate, my Mom, and Maria Teresa.

Picking Maeve up from her TERRIBLE school and taking her to see Harry Potter.

Watching Hellboy with my Grandmother (yes, you read that correctly).

Getting my Givenchy Style.com 10th anniversary limited addition shirt!

Getting TWO pairs of Ray Ban sunglasses from Maeve and Caroline, I love you guys.

Getting my YSL sunglasses in the mail. I have to do a whole post on them.

And so many more moments that I'm very grateful for.

This New Year, I'll post about all those special moments of 2010 within the first five months of 2011.

Have a great New Year everyone!

2011, I'm ready for you.

-Sophia

Why did I bestow my smile upon you?

2010-11-27T16:19:00.000-08:00

I have discovered that if I smile for extended periods of time I get these thin smile wrinkles. The result of this shock is that I now smile less. If I smile at you its because I value your presence and I think your a great asset to the earth and not taking up needed space. Needless to say, I smile at very few people now.

Now, I suppose I could just smile all I want for the sake of being nice and get some plastic surgery later and then just take care of anything else that needs to be done.

Then I took a look back at the days that my mom didn't throw my People Magazines away and decided against it.

I'm pretty sure these people regret being nice....

I think I'm just going to be an ancient Roman and go with the idea that wrinkles are handsome and show wisdom.

-Sophia

Weirdest Dream Ever

2010-11-27T11:57:00.000-08:00

Two nights ago, I experienced the oddest, most horrific subconscious thought of my life. I shall tell the story like a book.

*Dream Cloud*

"Excuse me Ms. Jollywagon, Why am I now in the regular American History class" I asked my obviously confused councilor.

"I'm not sure but just go for today until I can get it fixed." She replied after hesitation, sensing my anger.

After a slow deep breath I hurried along to my second period regular history class. I carefully chose the seat farthest to the left in the front row after pondering the arrangement for a few seconds. As the bell rang, the teacher began class by exclaiming he was a substitute and the regular teacher would be back tomorrow.

The classroom was dull with plain white walls, a teacher’s desk, and five columns with six rows of student desks. The substitute teacher who now called himself Mr. Cloud turned off the lights and turned on a movie concerning Industrialization. Feeling disinterested (as I had already studied this in my real class) and drowsy from studying late last night I drifted off into a deep sleep.

I stumbled out of my sleep forty-five minutes later with a loud bell ringing in my ear. Trudging through the hall I began to feel a tingling sensation in my left hand. I slowly raised my hand and came to the horrifying conclusion that someone had tattooed permanently all around my hand as I was sleeping.

The hallway started spinning. I shook my head attempting to stay calm but was unsuccessful. I ran down the steps to the main hallway screaming and bawling uncontrollably. Soon enough the hallway began to clear. I rushed to the first administrator I could find and protested, "I swear to find the person who did this and make their life a living hell".

After much attempts to calm me down I explained what happened and wagged my red, stinging hand in the teacher's face. She assured me she would let the other faculty know and that we would find the victimizer. I rushed off to the nurse to make sure my hand was at least healthy and uninfected. As the nurse and I were inspecting my hand the designs and colors became more protruded. I must admit the pattern was quite beautiful, but it still had to be removed. Later on, as I was roaming the hall on the way to lunch I noticed one of my good teachers and friend talking. They waved me over and I told the story once again about the tattoo. Mid-way through the story another student approached my teacher to ask a question.

The young boy was roughly 4'10, dark skinned, with short black hair and brown eyes. He appeared to be a freshman. And, as he was speaking, I seemed to be remembering something from that nap in history. It was like I was hearing my dream again. Then I realized what it was. It was his voice! I heard his voice next to mine class. He must have been the tattooer. He hurried off to his next class and I was hit with a burst of glee from my revelation. I told my teacher that he was my suspect; she seemed to frown.

She exclaimed, "No, it can't be him. He's a really good kid; he works hard in school and he has been through a lot."

I explained further that I heard his voice in my sleep and begged for her to look into it. Eventually, she promised to investigate: she was very concerned.

*Exit Dream Cloud*

My dream ended there but maybe I should complete the story and make up the rest?

Thanksgiving

2010-11-24T17:13:00.000-08:00

Well my fellow Marveloddities, I hope everyone is still alive and healthy. I am alive with a twitching eye, bruised hands and sore all over body. Yeah you guessed it, Jeff.

But the oddest things have happened lately mainly my family is.... oh wait I don't think its legal to post that on the internet..... Okay sorry cant tell you that.

So one odd thing that has happened to me is I watched a Harry Potter movie for the first time in my life. My mom finally decided that I wasn't going to turn into a witch if I watched the movie. I'm glad she finally realized that I was mature enough to know that there is no such thing as a good witch or wizard or whatever. Even though I was pretty oblivious to what was going on at times I think the movie was really good. The acting was superb, which it better be considering these kids have been playing these rolls for almost a decade. The movie was able to stand out as a movie where you can understand whats going on before seeing the rest of the movies. Which was a huge help to Maevelline ( my bff who I went to see it with) and I who both have mothers who think alike. I'm definitely going to see part 2 of Deathly Hallows.

But do you want to know the very odd thing that has happened to me this year?

Ready?

Drum roll please.

*Drum roll*

I like school. Yeah thats right I like school.

I'm almost a straight A student, and I like school. Actually I LOVE school, I have always hated school. Always.

I only have a B in Math and History, I usually suck at every subject! And I have teachers that are amazing.

So I want to give thanks to all of my teachers :)!

First off my home room teacher!

Mrs. Ali.

Mrs.Ali has turned my perspective of biology around. I love my biology class, I understand my biology class, and the best part is that Mrs.Ali actually wants us to pass. She does everything she can to help us pass. I have never had such a dedicated teacher.

She even sing when she's waiting for us to answer questions!

Is there anyone better than that?

No, I didn't think so.

She always answers our questions and she's so helpful. I don't know what I will do without her next year. I will probably die next year.

Then there is Mr. Woodard my History teacher.

Mr.Woodard is so cool! He's really helpful when we are studying for a test and he recommends video games to us all the time!

He told me I should watch Alice and Wonderland, Beauty and The Beast and El Dorado because they were set in eras we would study! Most teachers recommend boring movies.

History class is probably one of the coolest classes because we all get to use a mic and read things out for the rest of the class and if you stay late we all get to talk with each other and the very cool Mr. Woodard. He's also very funny.

Then my last teacher is Mrs. Lee.

Mrs. Lee is my English teacher, I usually don't go to her class because I don't usually need help in Literature, but when it comes to grammar I stay for every second of her class.

Mrs. Lee is,

AWESOME

She is always there to help us and has really helped me not recoil at the thought of grammar.

She's really funny and she's going to show us her prom picture if we win blue ribbons in our extra credit online course. She has a huge smack down going on with the other English class. I really want to see her prom picture. How many teachers do that?

Aha only AWESOME teachers.

And my last teacher Miss Lott.

Miss Lott is the sweetest teacher ever she is my Spanish teacher and she's young and happy and peppy. She told me I was her student with the highest average! Now thats an honor. Plus she's just so darn nice. I have met very few people that are as nice as her in my life. Plus she seems like the coolest person to be around if I could go to the movies with her every Friday I would. She's that cool.

So this thanksgiving I am thankful for my teachers and liking school this year because thanks to you guys (Mrs.Ali, Mrs.Lee, Miss Lott, Mr.Woodard) I like school this year. That is probably one of the most wonderful things that could happen to me since I am going to be doing it for the next for years.

Okay so sorry for the blog post which was pretty much me rambling but I am beyond sleep deprived.

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone ;).

Sophia

Goodbye October

2010-11-01T19:06:00.000-07:00

So October came to an end and I'm surprised at how fast the year passed me by.

Here is what happened this October.

1. My little brother's Birthday. I actually missed his party because I had a terribly managed day and I had a bunch of work to do and a class to attend. I didn't feel too bad though because I spent his actual birthday with him and he didn't really miss me at all. And I had to stay with my Grandmother who didn't want to go and was terrified of staying alone.

2. My Grandmother came for a two week visit. This is my father's mother so she only speaks Arabic. Yeah... slight inconvenience there. She was planning on living with us but she got sick of us. Apparently she was lonelier here with 8 people in the house than in Los Angeles living alone. She actually gave us many reasons.

You are all terrible cooks and the food is way better in Los Angeles.
I see more people living alone then I do living with a family of 8.
The weather is nicer in Los Angeles. (This is very true, but it isn't not like she ever went outside.)
I hate staying alone in the house.
Your cooking sucks.
Your cooking sucks.
Did I mention your cooking sucks?
And the produce is better and less expensive in Los Angeles.

But to be fair she had a very different stay in mind. She had the illusion that we were all going to sit down and watch TV with her the whole day and cook complicated Egyptian cuisine. But her biggest fantasy was that her son was going to spend everyday with her.

My Mom doesn't even watch the news anymore because she's so busy. We all have school work to finish and this year has been bonkers.

My dad is a working man if there is anything that needs to be done he wants to get it done. If there are leaves outside that can be raked, you can't keep him from raking those leaves. And on top of that he owns a business. His store closes at 5pm, and my dad usually leaves at 6:30 or 7:00pm.

I think the final straw was when my dad mentioned that he would be gone her last weekend here to take my brother to a basketball tournament. And to make matters worse he was cleaning up the yard when he informed her of this, and my grandmother was livid because she wanted him to come inside and stop working. From what I understood between the hand gestures and spontaneous English word, the conversation (argument) went like this.

Grandmother- You do not spend 1 hour with me! And you leave to drive far, far away and leave me with your wife who can't cook!?!

* My mom's actually a great cook. None of us were really prepared for someone who would send dishes back after looking at them.

Dad- I have to take Juan Antonio to his tournament. I have spent time with you, but you need to understand that I work and can't spend all my time here with you.

Grandmother- Fine, fine, leave me just leave! I don't even want to look at you!

Dad- Ok, bye I'm going to go finish cleaning up the yard.

That was an hour long conversation reduced to my interpretation.

The happiest I saw her was when she was packing her bags and the day she left. But although she did not stay as long as we were hoping, we did enjoy her and at that age it is very, very hard for old people to adjust to new things. She really is a very loving grandmother and despite hating my Mom's cooking, she has always told my mom that she gave her the most beautiful grandchildren out of all her grandchildren. My mom practically dies from embarrassment every time she says this.

I mean, really, she has five other grandchildren besides us and one great-grandchild, who is, by the way, the most beautiful thing in the world. Thankfully we have the most wonderful relatives that do not mind her saying these things and if they do they never express it.

I actually meant to post this the first of November but I forgot, so I really have no recollection of what happened in October. This may have to do with the mysterious bump on my head that my mom's freaking out about.

I have been forgetting things so maybe I do have some huge cancer buildup in my brain that's making me loose my memory.... Or maybe a calcium deposit or, how my wonderful PE teacher would say, a Unicorn Horn. She had one too but she got it removed at the Mayo Clinic.

Which reminds me of the most depressing and terrible thing that happened to me in October.

Miss Karen, my wonderful, amazing, emotionally torturous (that's an inside joke that we have), beautiful, fun, encouraging, tough-as-nails, yet as loving as can be, frank, fit and all around perfect PE teacher who I blogged about having to leave to Oman came back to visit.

This time I managed not to cry. Because when she left I cried, and when she came back I cried tears of joy. I have shed a lot of tears over Miss Karen now that I think about it. I went through this stage where I was terrified of her and cried everyday before she would come to coach us. I am so glad my mom told me to suck it up because I can not imagine my life without Miss Karen. I am going to start bawling which probably has to do with the fact that I am verrrrry tired and have two tests to take that I think I may fail.

Anyways, Miss Karen came back and took us to her mom's ranch where we had so much fun. The adventures were countless. I will have to make a special post about Oma (Miss Karen's mom) and her ranch later. Then we had tons of PE classes where even though I was wheezing during our jogs I was surprisingly happy.

Then Miss Karen brought up a very taboo topic. A new PE teacher to substitute while she is in Oman, Jeff.

Although I can easily be labeled a social butterfly I really hate being around new people for extended periods of time. I do not really mind new people like at a party, but the idea of having to see someone two to three times a week and having them see me trying to finish one push up is pretty much unfathomable.

Jeff (AKA Goliath) is a basketball player who is 24 and is living here in Texas because....I actually have no idea why he is here. But it has to do with this dream of coaching the college basketball team and getting a scholarship in return. I think it went like that. And he is a very good basketball player so he could do it. I mean you should see him, you pretty much want to drop the ball and run.

I think Jeff has a LOT of free time on his hands because he is as fit as you can possibly get. And then compare that to us and you have six kids passing out while he is still on jump rope after twenty minutes. And I can take quite a bit of the jump rope if I do say so myself. But geez... Jeff never stops?! I did not know it was physically possible to have that much energy. I mean he kills Ximena in the how much energy you can have in one body game! Ximena who was the most hyperactive person I knew until Jeff came along. I didn't even know that could happen.

I have to go to sleep if I am going to have any energy left for next week's PE class with our new coach. I really need my whole week's worth of energy to survive class with Jeff.

And yes, we do like him, if you guys are wondering. We no longer sit around and wait for Miss Karen to whip us into shape, we have Jeff now to prepare us for her coming.

So goodnight world (or morning depending on where you are),

Sophia

Hello Again

2010-10-19T15:59:00.000-07:00

So I'm back, no need to worry, I'm still alive.

You may ask, where have you been?

Working, crying, failing tests, acing tests, 15th birthday rehearsals, mini pachangaing (that would mean having a party), sleeping, trying to sleep, and basically trying to make it through the first few months of the school year. The most AMAZING thing that has happened to me since my blogging leave was New York Fashion Week. Yes my parents are amazing.

I'll just tell you about what I have been up too.

Fist of all, I have been going to rehearsals every Wednesday for my friend Paulina's quince with my friend, who's also Sophia, her brother Ricardo, and my sister.

The actual party was on Sunday. Paulina looked beautiful. I danced terribly and my dress alterations completely backfired.

But Fashion Week? Oh my gosh it was amazing. I arrived in NYC on Fashion Night Out, so that was huge. My Dad had to meet with his friend Giuseppe for business, which was fine with me because he was super nice and it gave me a chance to learn more about the industry. While there with Mr. Giuseppe, I ate a Starbucks cranberry scone, which is one of the most amazing things you will ever eat in your life.

My goal for FNO was to go to the Macy's concert, Piperlime to see my beloved Rachel Zoe, Saks, Nordstoms, and Fendi. When I asked a beautiful New Yorker how far Soho was from my hotel (it was by Times Square) she told me I really needed to get a taxi because, "You can't walk to Soho." It is by no means easy to get a taxi on a Friday night in New York. I ended up walking almost the whole way to Soho in my 3-inch heels just for Rachel Zoe. It started to occur to me that their might be a line to get in but I didn't want to panic so I just kept walking. One thing amazing happened on my way to Piperlime though! I saw Train perform "Hey Soul Sister" which was "bananas" as Rachel Zoe would say.

When I got to Piperlime, I wanted to die. There was a line that of about five million people and I was last. Eventually, a few dozen people ended up behind me but still I didn't get in to see Rachel after 3 hours. My mother did for me what she didn't do for the Pope. I love my mom and dad so much, you have no idea.

After that I got a hat, and missed all of FNO because of waiting in line to meet Rachel Zoe.

The next day I woke up ready to attend my first ever fashion show. I was able to go because of Cathy and Tony from N4, who are truly the sweetest people alive. I went to the Juan Carlos Obando show. I even got to have cocktails after the show with him. I can't describe how amazing it is to go back stage and hang out with models and photographers. Or sit in the second row of a fashion show. But I can show you pictures from JC's show. It was so beautiful. He hand-dyed the silks and made each individual piece himself, adding beautiful swarovski crystals on his works of art.

I was lightheaded by the time the show was over. I wanted it to never end it was one of the most amazing moments of my life.

Afterwards, I made a friend who's name is Daniela she wants to get out of NY and live in the country. Although where I live in Texas isn't exactly the country, I know a few ranchers. So I told her to come spend winter break with me. I really hope she does.

Goodnight,

Sophia

Wayyyy Past My Bedtime

2010-10-10T23:27:00.000-07:00

I like saying goodbye to my day by 8PM (Uh, no I don't have a life.). Right now it's 1:04. In the morning. It's tomorrow. Today. I blame it on homework. It's taking over my life. One day, I swear, someone will find me buried under a pile of books, but it will be too late by then.

I barely had time to eat this week. At night, I dream about failed math tests. A few days ago, I was so exhausted, that I fell asleep on the rug while whimpering about my GPA. That's what I was told by witnesses. I don't really remember the details. I do remember waking up to my brother asking if I was alive. I look forward to an afterlife that doesn't involve deadlines.

I can barely look at this computer screen. I hate coffee, but I drank more of it than any human being should. Yet, I am nodding over the keyboard. This can't do because the schoolwork is just not finished.

I should probably get back to it now, and hope that my teachers are in a better mood than my new hero.

Once Upon a Time, I Barely Used Advil

2010-09-24T07:36:00.000-07:00

I started taking Concerta for my ADD this past summer. Yeah, I was the pills-are-bad-for-you-and-the-planet-and-your-unborn-un-conceived-child-and-you're-already-over-medicated-and-your-liver-will-fail-and-then-you'll-die sort of person. But then, I heard a little voice in my head ask,

Where is your medical degree, Maria Teresa?
I don't have one? I said.
Oh, well, you're going to get it soon, right?
Um. No.
Wait, wait... do I remember correctly, or are you an artist?
Yes...
So, how has your background made you so knowledgeable about the dangers of medicine?
Uh... it hasn't.
Yeah.

So I decided that it wasn't fair to make everyone around me suffer from my constant state of confusion. And I got a prescription. And now I don't lose things every minute of the day. And I can work for more than 20 minutes straight. And I can have a conversation without taking a mental vacation. It's like I'm on a different level of reality now. Gosh, I'm at a level of reality, whereas I used to constantly dance off to Wonderland.

It's not all fun and games, though. While my liver hasn't failed ~~yet~~, my little pill has its side effects. The sight of food makes me want to throw up, it takes me most of the night to fall asleep, and I've turned into a witch.

While I can force myself to eat, sleeping isn't so easy. I have insomnia to begin with, but the extra energy from these amphetamines keep me up until dawn, man. I mean, I'm motivated. At 3 in the morning. I'm not motivated for New Year's. Yet, I stay up in bed wondering, what comes next???  Do you want to go for a run? Want to get ahead with your schoolwork? Study for your SAT''s?!?! Write a book, practice guitar, learn French, save the whales?!?!?!?!!

It's weird. I take melatonin so I don't end up jumping off the roof because I convinced myself I can fly.

Then there are those those mood swings... I'm generally the nice sister. Snapping at my brothers because they asked for a pencil is highly unusual-- and it made me cry. I thought I would get over it in a few weeks, but I didn't. By the time I found a bottle of St. John's Wort, I was pretty desperate. I take three little green pills a day, and I'm pretty mellow now. It took a few days to really stabilize my emotional crisis, and I'm not exactly the Dalai Lama, but it helped a lot.

Now I actually remember to take my vitamins, which I'm supposed to take four of every day. Really, I only take two. This brings my actual pill count to: 7 per day.

I beat my grandparents.

Indie Artist, You're kidding me right?

2010-09-18T18:39:00.000-07:00

This is a revised post after someone named Ricardo dissed my post that I accidentally posted when I was actually not done editing.

Happy now Ricardo?

So my dear sister went off to a retreat with Maeve and co. I could have gone, but I hate retreats. I almost decided to go but I had to much school, so I didn't.

Today I nearly got down on my knees to thank God for making me a responsible person.

If I was irresponsible I would have gone. If I would have gone I would have found out once I got there (2 hour drive) that this was a SILENT retreat. A retreat where you don't speak and only meditate.

This would have lead me to suicide or insanity. So I'm glad my sister went and didn't insist upon me going.

Now that I've filled you in on the situation at hand, I can explain the title of my post. As you guys know the wonderful writers here at the Marveloddities have an Indie Artist of The Week. Maria Teresa always does this because she actually listens to indie music. I listen to whatever I find on my iPod or whatever plays on the radio. So you can understand my distress when she sent my mom a text this morning. The part addressed to me read:

Sofi,

Post on the blog, indie artist. Thank you bye!

I nearly passed out.

Indie Artist? Are you crazy!?!?!

I am going to just name an unpopular band and hope they're indie artists and give you a link to their Myspace. Yes, I know my sister is going to kill me. But she should know better than to entrust me with this.

I sat down to think. who is unpopular? This lead to my searching through my iPod. Most of what is there is Maria Teresa's music. This usually has an abundance of Indie Artist.

I thought I was right when I picked Two Door Cinema Club. I had never heard of them and I like one of their songs. I went to their My Space to check out the song I like by them, "Something Good Can Work Out."

To my utter dismay my "Indie Artist" had 169,228 plays on that song. I'm pretty sure they're popular.

Although I really think you should go listen to one of their songs. Who knows, they may become your favorite band!

Click here to listen to Two Door Cinema Club. Their song Something Good Can Work Out comes recommended by me. It's fast, fun, catchy.

Now I am without an Indie Artist.

I will be back shortly.

...............................................................................................................................................................

Neon Trees was my second choice. I like their song Animal. It has a good beat and I have played it about 50 times and my mom still likes it. They, however, are by no means an indie band. Animal has 1,963,806 plays. At least I can stress that the song rocks? Go add another digit to that 7 figure number here!

I am going to take a small break to find an Indie Artist.

* Intermission*

I would like to thank Ivan for being an indie fan. You saved my life today, and I owe you one, for about a month. Ivan recommended the following indie artists!

-Ra Ra Riot

-Arcade Fire

-Animal Collective

-Panda Bear

-Portugal The Man

Even though I have five options, I am just going to tell you about the first two. I will save the rest for later.

Fist up on my chopping block is Ra Ra Riot.

I selected their song Shadowcasting. The song's good. It's relaxing, and it reminds me of Coldplay. The vocals are great, and I like the contrast of the rhythm of the song and the vocals. The rhythm isn't too slow, you could probably dance to it, and the vocals are slow. I really like this song, and this is where my next iTunes gift card will go.

You know what to do! Click here to listen to Shadowcasting and enjoy.

Now we're moving on to Arcade Fire.

My chosen song is Rebellion (Lies). The music to this song is amazing. It starts off sort of eerie and then the lead singer starts to sing. I am in love, I want their album, this song is amazing. Click here, then listen to Rebellion (Lies). I have no idea what they're saying but you need to listen to this song.

So there you have it, my Non-Indie Artist and my Indie Artists.

Thank you,

Sophia

Blogging Pseudo Motherhood

2010-09-16T15:50:00.000-07:00

If you follow me on Twitter, (You don't? Well, you should) you'll know that Sofi left for New York on Friday for Fashion Week. It was a 15th Birthday Present. I was cool with it. In fact, I was really glad she had such an amazing opportunity. Fashion isn't even my thing, so I didn't mind staying behind. With my brothers. While nursing a cold.

This is what went down on Day 1:

Friday: Sofi and my parents leave at 6 in the morning to the airport. I wake up realizing last night's sore throat is now a cold. I tell my mom, but she is already out the door. A couple of my brothers decide they might as well get up and start their day. I decide to fall asleep again.

7:15 I wake up to tell Juanito to take a shower because he's being picked up at 8 for art class.

7:25 I realize my brothers are being picked up at 8 for their art class. I rush through a shower hoping I can make it out in time to look like a responsible sister.

7:27 Juanito pounds furiously on my door to ask how to turn the alarm off. I furiously scream the code back.

7:35 I wonder why the house is so quiet. I go downstairs and realize my brothers are gone. I hope it's because they were picked up. That would explain why they wanted to turn the alarm off. I take almost every kind of homeopathic remedies my mom has for colds.

7:40 I look at the kitchen. I look away.

8:00 I start to do my school work. I go to my virtual math class and my teacher virtually finds out how much I suck.

10:45 My brothers come back. I tell them to clean up the kitchen before they eat a pizza I put into the oven. They manage to clean a little before starting a wrestling match. I'm too sleepy to argue with them, so I let them eat before making them clean the rest of the house.

11:15 I send them off to the classroom to do schoolwork. I pick up the mess they made when they cleaned.

11:45 I finally join them in the classroom. They are already fighting. I prohibit them from speaking or looking at anything except their schoolbooks. Then I negotiate how many of those schoolbooks they actually have to read.

12:00 I remember I haven't eaten. I am able to ignore the rumbling in my stomach but not my little brother's whining. My brother's friend and his mom arrive, but only Juanito has actually finished his work. This means only Juanito can play. You can bet there was more whining.

4:00 I get a phone call from a guy I don't know. I think he asks me to open the gate. I say ok and hang up, then it occurs to me that I don't know who he is. He calls back to tell me I hung up on him. I ask him where he's calling from and realize he's in a different city. He tells me what phone number he's calling and he has the first two digits reversed. He must find this embarrassing because he hangs up.

4:25 My god-mother who's staying the night is lost and needs directions. I don't know any of the street names so I have Sofi call her. I don't have a lot of time to feel stupid and inept before I run upstairs to clean my room.

4:30 My godmother asks if we want to go to Neiman Marcus for a fashion show. She says they'll have hors d'oeuvres. The boys accept the invitation.

6:30-8:30 Apparently Fashion Night Out is a big deal. Lacosste has a Wii Tennis competition (Alfonso wins twice), Neiman Marcus has that big deal fashion show, Betsy Johnson has a bunch of tall skinny models in short poofy dresses lined up in front of the store. I read the pamphlet. Mostly, I'm looking to see where they have appetizers. We walk into Juicy where a "Juicy Boy" (could they come up with anything catchier?) hands out little cakes. I walk right past him, but my brothers and godmother don't feel as dignified and accept the pink morsel. Alfonso doesn't like his, so he gives it to me. It's really good. So good, that I'm not sure if being dignified is worth resisting the urge to ask for another. I turn around and see Mr. Juicy flex his biceps and wink at a patron. I almost throw up.

The fashion show is loud and crowded. Models with poofy hair and gallons of make-up walk around a make-shift runway while the audience claps and sips on champagne. These people could be models themselves. Granted, there are a few people, like us, who looked like they just happened on the event and decided to stay for the free food (Although, I must say, the servers do turn up their noses at us simple folk), but I'm glad that I changed out of my over-sized sweatpants.

By the time it's over, I want to die. My throat feels like I swallowed sandpaper, I'm so congested I can hardly breathe, and every part of my body hurts. We walk out of the store and Mr. Juicy, perhaps experiencing a drop in mini-cake demand, has taken off his shirt. It does not make me feel better.

9:00 I want to go to bed, but, alas, I forget that as substitute mother, I must feed the children. I do my best not to sneeze on their packaged ravioli, when Sofi sends me a text:

I just saw Train!!!!

I curse natural remedies.

Chris

2010-09-08T19:35:00.000-07:00

Editor's Note: I was supposed to post this yesterday, but this monsoon caused a power (and Internet) outage. Carry on.

Our backyard is too big for my dad to handle on his own. Occasionally, he realizes this and recruits assistance. The most recent assistant gardener has been Chris, which is my friend's older sister's fiancé. I was out most of the time he was here, but I gathered enough information to know what happened. Since I clearly have too much time on my hands, I sent his future mother-in-law the following review of his work. She thought it was funny, and sent it to her children. And husband. And Chris. I didn't find out about this until it got around to my mom, who got it around to me. I was slightly embarrassed, but now since it's out in the open, I might as well share it with the world.

Dearest Winnie,

The boys have not stopped talking about Chris the whole day. They are speaking of him as I write this email. They will probably follow me into my bedroom with their constant chant of "Chris says" and ruin my sleep.

This is my overall assessment of the day:

1. Chris has been hospitalized more than any other human being I know.

2. He is quite the hard worker. My dad was impressed. HOWEVER, if he does actually come back tomorrow, he'll earn like 1,000,000 Amir Points. And have his eternal loyalty, which I have to say is something very convenient to have, because it lasts forever, even when it's undeserved.

3. Having spent the whole day with my brothers, I am convinced that Chris has more patience than Mother Teresa, St. Monica, and Ghandi combined.

4. According to Sofi, he is clearly good with kids. So maybe he can do most of the parenting when he and Caroline have children. I think it's a good match.

5. My mom was like, "Omg, Chris is like my fifth son now." AFTER 3 HOURS. Way to scare the living daylights out of the poor boy...

I give him an A.

Best,

Maria Teresa

Uh, We're Alive...

2010-09-06T09:49:00.000-07:00

Update: Hola!!! We've been pretty bad about blogging lately. It's embarrassing for us, you should all know. But it's like we had to spend the last few days of summer doing absolutely nothing before we started school. And now that we have started school, we barely have time for the important stuff (like breathing), let alone more enjoyable pursuits (like blogging). So, please forgive us, please, please don't give up on us, and we pinky promise that out reckless irresponsibility will come to an end. Today.

Have a Happy Labor Day!

Things I want

2010-08-19T07:11:00.000-07:00

I have been bored lately to say the least. School barely starts next Monday, and I guess the lack of classes/camps have made me a boring person. So I've been online shopping everywhere. FENDI, Calvin Klein,Target, Forever 21, Ray Ban, Channel, Dior, Express, Macy's, Dillard's, Apple, Cache.

Before you start thinking that I'm the most spoiled girl in the world, I would like to mention that I'm not really going to make my parents get me things (Like I could afford them). These are just things I would enjoy owning. We can all dream.

First up!

The iPad. It's small and easy to carry around your house. Or on a road trip, or a plane, or anywhere else because it's so dang tiny! Not to mention it quadruples as a laptop, iPod, iTouch, and Kindle!!!! Now, you may be asking why not just get an iPod touch instead of an iPod nano? The answer is: I already have a nano, so I would need an iPod touch for the games and apps. So, if you think about it, an iPad is a practical investment! Let's do the math shall we?

One Ipod Nano - $149+tax

One MacBook Pro-$999+ tax (that's going to be a lot of tax)

One Ipod touch - $199
+One Kindle- $189

That adds up to a nice $1,536!

Why not just add $200 in tax?

So, considering that an iPad starts at $499, I think its a pretty good deal. I'm actually starting to take my day dreaming seriously. I really want one now. Good thing my B-day's coming up!

Next on my list is: Suri Cruise. I may look a little creepy that a little girl is on my list of things I want, but I don't actually want to steal her or something. This is my dream little sister (Don't freak out Ximena you're my dream twin) so I should probably rename this list as People and Things I would Like to Have in My Presence.

This little angel is the most adorable child ever. She has great style, she's always smiling, and she has really nice parents! Who wouldn't like to go shopping with her? I mean, I could just picture myself taking her out for yogurt at Swirl or Orange Cup. You know, both of us walking with our frozen yogurt at an outlet mall. Me spending all my money on cute polka dot dresses and toddler heels at Gymboree for her! Ahh..... that would be the life. Not that I'm not happy with mine. But, Katie, I would love to babysit her sometime. I'm good with kids, I'd take good care of her!

This is probably the most realistic thing on my list. Cheese cake. I don't think I have to explain that so I'm going to just move on.

A Jaguar. Again TOTALLY unrealistic.

A pink Scooter. That, and a home in Malibu, and a Yorkshire Terrier, and I would be 100% preppy. That would be the day Maria Teresa would die. It shall remain a dream.

This Burberry outfit in every color. I mean look at that amazing draping?!?! I would love to own this.

This is one outfit I want for fashion week. Unfortunately, I'm not 10ft tall and my legs are not that lean (to say the least). In fact, I'm like 5'4" so there's no way that's happening.

There it is! Almost every unrealistic thing I want. Yet, don't really need, (except maybe an iPad) which is a bummer.

Maybe next time I'll post a less selfish (Frankly, wanting Suri as a sister would benefit us both) list of things I want. Like world peace, or an end to hunger, or religious tolerance. But for now, there is my list of unreasonable and completely selfish things (and humans) that would be very fun to have in my presence.

Thank you,

Sophia

Day 20

2010-08-18T00:33:00.000-07:00

I really never thought this day would come. :(

Tuesday, departure.

I had to leave for the airport at 4:30, and I didn't start packing until 2:00.

But somehow, it took a lot less time then I expected. I had time to kill afterwards.

Luckily, my suitcase didn't weigh over the max of 50 pounds. (Our biggest nightmare)

I really don't know why anyone would care to hear about this.

Anyways, my plane was on time, and actually landed 10 minutes early.

I think I had this little feeling that maybe they would have to delay it until tomorrow or something.

Tiny, evil little prayer. haha

Well now I'm home. Still can't hear in my left hear.

And now, just waiting for school to come around.

Best time of my life.

Day 19

2010-08-18T00:29:00.000-07:00

Monday,

Today I woke up at 1.

Very nice.

I attempted to play a bowling night with some friends and my cousin.

It was pretty fun!

My first time ever really bowling without bumpers haha.

Let's not talk about how awful I was.

Really, we all were. hehe

Also, the first time I ever tried Popeye's. Just stole some fries. They were actually really good. Hehe.

Many first common restaurants on this trip.

How depressing, one day left.

I haven't even started packing. Oh well.

Day 18

2010-08-18T00:27:00.000-07:00

Sunday,

I really didn't do anything today.

It was the slowing down of my trip.

I guess better than a halting stop.

I went to church, said goodbye to all my Jersey friends. Went home. Yada yada.

Day 17

2010-08-15T19:11:00.000-07:00

Saturday,

Best day ever!!!!

Sooo, I walked in Times Square. Love it, but extremely crowded with tourists. hehe

Then......I SAW THE LION KING ON BROADWAY!!!!!!!!!
It was fantastic, beautiful, wonderful.

And it was the first time I have ever seen it. Haha I know, I know.

Then, I ate really good Mexican food in New York. Who knew?

And then, to top it all off, you know that 10 story high, first ever Macy's store where the Thanksgiving Parade ends?
Yes, I shopped in it.

Best. Day. Ever.

I think I've had 5 NY hot dogs since I've been here. There is just something about them that is way better than normal, packaged ones. Hehe

Day 16

2010-08-13T21:25:00.001-07:00

Friday,

I finally saw Despicable Me with my oldest cousin.
I'm not a fan of cartoons and animations but this movie was good!!!
It was really funny and cute. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Then I came home and got ready for the church youth meeting.
It was really nice, I like the youth here.

After words we all went to Taco Bell.

It was actually my first time ever going there. Not too shabby.

Tomorrow tomorrow

Day 15

2010-08-13T21:19:00.000-07:00

Thursday,

This is really depressing. Like, beyond belief.
I want to cry.
I got o go to New York again today.
I visited Canal Street and did a lot of sopping in China Town.
My God it is crazy there!
I'm not much of a haggler and thank The Lord for my wonderful, powerful aunt.
And all together, the entire day, I think I took a total of eight Subways and trains.

The text conversation between my mother and I:

Me: You know what I miss the most about being home?

Mom: Other than torturing me?

Me: Yes.

Mom: What?

Me: Being able to sing freely. I AM ITCHING TO BURST INTO SONG.

This entire statement is true.

Day 14

2010-08-13T21:15:00.000-07:00

Wednesday,

Today I went on a campus tour of Penn State.
Very nice school, obviously it's one of the top in the country.
Strange area though.
I also celebrated my uncles birthday.

It was my last day on that side of Jersey so my other uncle and cousin came to pick me up.
The 60 miles took us two hours to get home.
The Turn Pike was under construction so the traffic was unbelievable.
Anyways, I got home.

I already miss my cute little cousins.

Day 13

2010-08-13T21:11:00.000-07:00

Tuesday,

Today I went to one of the biggest malls in the world.
Seven times of he size of La Canterra. Minimum.
I got lost just trying to find a starbucks, because there is two.
And you know what I bought in this huge mall? A pair of jeans and shirt from American Eagle. I know, I know.

It was also my second day on the other side of New Jersey.

Quite, quite fun.

Indie Artist of the Week: Rebel Bran

2010-08-12T12:36:00.000-07:00

First of all, thank God for Josette. I spent the last week in art camp and this one struggling to get an extra honors credit. If it were not for her keeping up the blog, I would have a a nervous meltdown and died. Really.

Anyways, I had the opportunity to conduct an interview with Serbian singer-songwriter Rebel Bran last Saturday. The same day I though I could just skip taking my ADD meds (I'm just adorable sometimes). I do hope my random topics aren't too confusing.

Enjoy!

M: You're from Serbia, correct? Can you give us some of your history?

RB: Yes, I was born in a small town south of the capital Belgrade in central Serbia.

M: How do you feel your childhood in Belgrade shaped you musically?

RB: Belgrade has a special place in my heart. All my best memories are pretty much connected to that city, especially from the time when I was at the university. The best time of my life - lots of late night working, but even more partying with friends and my band.

M: Yup, sounds like college

RB: For sure.

M: Did you always think you would be a musician?

RB: Pretty much. I always new I will be doing something creative. I started with art very early through my school, but as soon as I managed to get a guitar, I knew it will be a life long love!

M: Was there anyone or anything that influenced you to pursue music? Sometimes, it's a dream, of course, but we need someone to give us that push in order to actually be proactive about it.

RB: It was more than anything a stranger! My mum was singing beautifully and she instilled that love in both my sister and me, but the crucial moment was when Srecko (Lucky) became our family friend. He had a profound influence on me, not only with his voice, but as a male figure in my life.

M: Can you elaborate?

RB: He was our neighbor for a while, and very quickly he was attracted buy our constant singing. So he joined us and we would spend hours and hours singing around our dining table. He had a voice that was out of this earth! As my father left us very early, I started looking up to him and very soon I decided I want to try to sing like him one day. I don't think I ever got that good

M: Well, you do a pretty impressive job anyway. Any other musicians that inspired you?

RB: Thank you. Well, I was lucky enough that my step father was a multi-instrumentalist and when I managed to buy my first guitar he was the one who taught me my first chords. He was also an art teacher, so he had a great way of teaching you how to start playing songs very quickly so you don't get bored, as most kids do. So in about 6 months time I already started composing! It was an amazing feeling. One of my very first songs I ever composed is actually on my CD. It's called Old Story, and it's about 30 years old almost!

M: Lucky. My parents turned out to be the musically-impaired ones in their family.

RB: That's too bad

M: Eh, they make up for it.

RB: I'm sure they did, all comes with a reason!

M: And we (my siblings and I) found inspiration elsewhere. Nobody's perfect.

RB: As long as they support and encourage, they are great!

M: Exactly. And they have.

RB: Great

M: Do you prefer to sing/write in Serbian or English?

RB: I have been writing in English for a few years already. Too much hassle to rewrite them. I am becoming more comfortable in English, but I do both. All depends on the feeling and the moment. It's kind of funny but I think you can actually feel things in two languages

M: Oh, certainly. My first language is Spanish and I think or feel "bilingually" all the time. It can get a little confusing, though

RB: Yes, I know exactly what you mean

Are you from Mexico originally or from Europe? Sorry, perhaps some other latin american country...

M: Oh, I'm from the U.S., but my mom is from Mexico, and she would only speak to me in Spanish.

RB: Trying to preserve their roots

M: Yes. Or just a rebel. She didn't want to send me to school either.

RB: Oh, interesting! I like rebels

M: Yes, I learned a lot from her. Anyways, back on topic. What's your songwriting process?

RB: When I get into the mood it feels the best. I know something good will come out. I do have an idea what I want to express. Usually I look for some unusual chord combinations that fit the mood, then comes a theme phrase, than the melody and the lyrics go side by side. With the right inspiration a whole song can be done in a couple hours.

Sometimes though, I like to force myself to create a feeling. It's very exciting seeing the progress when the emotion was not initially there, but you create it

M: Yes, it's amazing to see what you can accomplish if you focus on that goal. But it is hard for us artists to work while uninspired, right? I bet life would be a lot easier if I were born an accountant.

RB: Yes it is much harder, but I have learned that you can create the inspiration yourself, and then it all starts unrolling as if you were in the right mood to begin with. It's quite exhilarating

M: That is cool.

What are your next plans?

RB: I have so many plans... Over the years I have accumulated over 60-70 songs, so I sorted them all out and started practicing for my next CD

M: That's a lot of songs.

RB: There are 5 more waiting to be finished. See, if the things went the regular way in my life, it would have all been done now. Who knows, maybe it's even better this way. I am also working on my new all instrumental CD, I have about 7 songs ready

M: I haven't been alive too long, but I'm starting to learn that things don't usually go the way we planned. I figure that as long as you try your best, and not compromise yourself in the process, you're doing a pretty good job.

RB: That is the way to think, I believe it's very true. I have no regrets, it was the way it was. I believe that I have a much deeper outlook on life and my own experience from this perspective, so the final creative product should be even better. I hope people will be able to identify with it and that it will touch them in some way

M: I agree with that.

Okay last question from my sister and co-blogger, Sofia:

If you were on stage, and the world was watching, and the world could only hear one more song, what would you sing?

RB: Should I ask: of my own songs or songs in general?

M: Whichever

RB: That's tough… It's weird, but the only song that comes to mind as the last song ever that the world should here would be "Amazing Grace". I would love to sing it only with a piano.

M: That would be fitting.

RB: I guess

M: Well, thank you so much for your time, and I'm sure this won't be the last time we hear from you!

RB: Thank you so much, this was fun! All the best with your blog, I will be checking it regularly!

As always, friend Rebel Bran on MySpace, like him on Facebook, and follow him on Twitter.

Day 12

2010-08-09T20:22:00.000-07:00

Monday,

Woke up early (at 11), and went shopping.
Today I came across a new kind of forever 21 called XXI forever.

It is by far the nicest, largest, most organized, and best quality forever 21 I have ever been in. It was amazing.

It even had a dude's section. Haha.

I'm kind of depressed I finished my book.

Now I'm reading Stargirl. Not nearly as good.

Day 11

2010-08-09T20:19:00.000-07:00

Sunday,

Woke up and went to church. Came home, and got ready to leave for my other aunts house.

I earned the title of "worst packer in America" today.

My aunt and two of my three younger cousins came to pick me up.
I got to meet my youngest cousin.

All of my cousins are awesome.

I FINALLY FINISHED EAST OF EDEN AND IT WAS FANTASTIC!

Day 10

2010-08-07T20:48:00.000-07:00

Is it really already double digits?
Am I really half way through with this trip? :(
Well it's Saturday.

I woke up early and went to church.
Then went home and took a nap. (No way no way!)

Then I went to a graduation party for one of the kids at church.

Twas a good day.

Day 9

2010-08-07T20:43:00.000-07:00

Friday,

Today I went on a campus tour of Rutgers in New Jersey with my oldest cousin.
I really, really love that college.

Then I went home, and got ready for a church youth meeting.
I really like the church here. Everyone is really nice.
We watched a movie called Time Changer. Which, actually wasn't that bad.

And now I am three fourths done with East of Eden!

Day 8

2010-08-05T20:26:00.000-07:00

Thursday,
How sad.

I'm beginning t realize how quickly time really moves.
It seems like yesterday I had a year.
Yet, looking back on the second day, it seems like it was so long ago.
Time is a wicked, wicked thing.

Today I woke up at 1.
I finally got to play Poker with my cousins and learn Texas Hold 'em.
Then I took another nap. Hehe
I'm sleeping away my vacation.

Anyways, I can't seem to put down East of Eden. It is really excellent.
I'm learning so much from it while being entertained all at the same time.

I intend to watch an episode of 'Hannah Montana Forever' at midnight.
I think this is going to be so weird. And I don't know why I want to watch it so much. Just to laugh at her maybe? I still wonder what changed her mind. She was so dead set on leaving. Haha.

Day 7

2010-08-04T20:48:00.001-07:00

Wednesday. Already :(
Today was yet again a fantastic day.
Went shopping at Woodbridge Mall with my new friend Noreen. aka Judas.
I believe she is the one that instituted the nickname "Texas."

Fun fact: Did you know that there is no tax EVER on ANY clothes in New Jersey???

HOW FANTASTIC!!!!!

But yes, everything is so cool here. Even the shopping is better.

And now I am almost half way done with East of Eden. It is so good!!!!!

Day 6

2010-08-03T20:30:00.000-07:00

Tuesday,
Today I lived.
Had to wake up at 9. Ride two trains and a subway.
I shot some pool (very poorly) with my cousin.
Had a real New York hot dog off the street.
When on a campus tour of New York University.
Refused to buy a shirt from them for $20
Had real New York Pizza.
And then took some more trains and subways home.

Oh and I did a lot of walking.
Well, according to my cousin not a lot. Haha
I believe it.
And then I cam home and had a nice long nap.

Good exciting day!

Manhattan is really everything everyone cuts it out to be.

Day 5

2010-08-02T20:16:00.000-07:00

Monday,
So, you ask, "what did you do today?"
So I answer, "Absolutely nothing."

I caught up on my sleep after being beaten up at the retreat.
I read some more of East of Eden.

Oh and I attempted to decide which Broadway shows to see.

Tell me, how is one supposed to pick between Phantom of the Opera, The Lion King, Wicked, West Side Story, and Mary Poppins?

Tell me! How?

I promise these posts will eventually get more entertaining.
Going into New York tomorrow! Visiting some colleges.

Day 4

2010-08-01T20:05:00.000-07:00

Sunday,
Slept in until 8:30 woop woop.
Was forced to go on a morning walk, yet again on the boardwalk. It was long but still nice.
We had another lecture. Which was also good.
Then I played cards for a long, long time.
I learned a new game, Kent.
I pretty much 'beasted' at it with my partner.
Then we had dinner on the beach and left.

I slept in the car. I love naps.

And I'm writing this really poorly on account that these last 3 posts are pretty late...
Sorry, no internet there.

Day 3

2010-08-01T20:00:00.000-07:00

Saturday,we
Woke up at 6 a.m. Yippy.
We produced a full mass in the house. I was impressed. Then around noon we learned some hymns and I fell asleep. So they sent me to take a four hour nap. He he
I got the nickname "Texas".
We had a really good lecture.
Then we went on the Boardwalk again at night.

We stayed up until 3:30 just talking. (I managed with the nap.)

I'm sure really no one cares about this stuff. But I already made a promise and since I'm not really writing down elsewhere what I'm doing...
It's for me too.

Day 2

2010-08-01T19:55:00.000-07:00

Very interesting. (Not really)
Woke up at noon. Slept again from 2-5. Then packed to go to a retreat in a beach house on Long branch. we got there at night. And we went on a walk on the Boardwalk.
I met my first 'weirdo' here.
'Nuf said.

Day 1

2010-07-29T23:00:00.000-07:00

The text I sent to my mom immediately after 'touch down'. "I just landed. Right when we were about to leave they gave us another 20 minute delay. The trip was long. They actually gave us food. Gross food. Anyways, I'm alive. "

That pretty much sums up my day. I got to the airport. They gave us an hour delay, then another hour delay. Then we boarded, and started rolling. Then they stopped us and gave us another 20 minute delay.
Happy to be here. Having a good time so far.

And I just finished my online P.E. class!

I also completed an eighth of East of Eden on the plane!!!

Indie Artist of the Week: GTaa

2010-07-29T08:22:00.000-07:00

GTaa reminds me a lot of The Cure, minus the melancholic streak. Depeche Mode and Tears for Fears also come to mind, but, really, this dude's got a sound that's all his own.

His music is whimsical, clever, and engaging. It's like 80's pop rock (with a trace of new wave?) reincarnated in the 21st Century. It has all the classic elements, but doesn't sound dated.

So... follow GTaa on Twitter, become a fan on iLike, and check him out on Youtube.

Why I Never, Ever, Ever Get Sick

2010-07-27T08:08:00.000-07:00

I'd rather spend my entire weekend at Club Libby Lu than spend an hour at the doctor's/dentist's/orthodontist's/shrink's/brain surgeon's waiting room. I'm not really exaggerating, and I have good reasons.

The Awkwardness. I try to keep to myself and stare at my shoes. But everyone is clearly thinking the same thing: Why are you here? I try to imagine everyone sitting in a circle and sharing, like kindergarten. "I'm manic depressive." "I have an overbite." "I've had a cold for the past three months." "My mom forced me to come."

Would we all sing songs at the end? Pass around some Purelle and Kleenex?

My fantasies are usually interrupted when someone sneezes into my shoulder.

The Receptionist. To be fair, my orthodontist's receptionist is very, very nice. She's the only exception. The last receptionist I had the pleasure of being forced to interact with treated every patient in the room like the puppy you were given but didn't even want in the first place. Very inconvenient, very annoying, but you could got to jail for kicking it. I wonder if she'll warm up to us in time. Yes, this is a personal rant. By tomorrow, I'll probably take it all back.

The Occasional Psycho Patient. Several years ago, I waited with my mother, nanny, and four siblings in the pediatrician's waiting room. I was reading a magazine when I heard this woman next to me hiss. Not the discreet stop-that-or-else mom sort of hiss. It was a scary hiss. Like Medusa. Or a cockroach. Her son had sprayed this girl with a water gun. (Why would there ever be a water gun in a waiting room?) I watched her from behind my magazine. Within 10 minutes her hissing turned into screaming. Everyone in the room stopped talking. All the sick kiddos in the room sat quietly next to their mothers. And the poor woman would not stop. Needless to say, every single human being witnessing this moment of alternate reality thanked God for their mothers. As entertaining as this event was, I could have lived very happily without it.

The Smell. Chlorine, hand sanitizer, and bodily fluids. Ew.

I'd take squealing tweens, glitter, and clown makeup any day.

My Extremely Entertaining News

2010-07-20T02:28:00.000-07:00

So it is 4:26 a.m. and I can't fall asleep. So I guess I will just inform everyone.

First off, I am going to try something new.

Typically I write stories or poems, Sofi and Maria T often write about events in their life.

I have decided to try their route. So much for conformity eh?

Anyways, about 20 minutes ago it sunk in that I am leaving for New York in 9 days. It will be my first vacation on my own and I am extremely excited.

I have decided that it will also be the start of my new "Talk about my life blogging".

This way, not only can I entertain everyone with my adventures, but I can also keep all of my memories.

I will be gone for exactly 20 days. And I will write every day.

Therefor, I shall call it.

Project 20 Days.

So look forward to this.

I know I know, you just can't wait. =D

A Blog Devoted to YOU!

2010-07-14T00:05:00.001-07:00

It's your turn.

Tell us, what do you want us to write about?

Want to hear about a specific thing?

Want to hear one of us specifically talk about?

Or how about all of us?

It's your turn to tell us what you want to see on our blog!

Post a comment here and let us know!

I'm on a role!

2010-07-07T22:20:00.000-07:00

Misreadings

The sun is falling and night is rising. A wave of darkness is spreading. And with it is coming danger: danger and fear: Danger and fear and lost hope. And another day is gone. One by one the days will disappear. One by one, day by day, the sun will go down and lives will go with it.

There is nothing more beautiful, more radiant than a sunset. The bright, beaming, golden sun lowering its body from the light blue sky, while evening is approaching: its precious red and orange rays, beaming over the horizon. But then, night falls.

The end of a beautiful day arrives; the sky is dull, lifeless. The air is empty and the feeling of life in our souls, is gone. The world must come then, to a halting stop. Little children must rest their precious, gentle heads and give selfish, heartless criminals an opportunity to fulfill there unrighteous works.

There’s a sense of loneliness; a deep sense of loss. “Where has the world gone? Has it left you here alone…To face reality by yourself? The reality of darkness and despair?” They left you because they couldn’t handle it either, they couldn’t face the burden of nightfall.

We are quite the advertisers these days.

2010-07-07T21:25:00.000-07:00

So shortly after Maria T informed me of the twitter, I came to the brilliant thought of making a facebook page.

So here is our page!

Like it and send it to your friends!

I'll see if I'm smart enough to figure out how to put the link on the side...

Here's to my shortage of posts

2010-07-07T21:20:00.001-07:00

So much depends upon

an empty swing

swaying from a subtle wind

above the playground pebbles.

Update

2010-07-07T19:09:00.000-07:00

Thank God my sister posts when I'm too tired to. She's quite a reliable specimen (no, you can't borrow her.).

Anyways, I just wanted to let you know we have a Twitter! *Cheer, shout, jump for joy*

Yeah, when I texted Josette that she replied with: "I first read you made a twitter and I was like, 'are you nuts?! Why?!' But now I see."

Yup. So much for non conformism.

So follow us here. Or, just click on the bird on the sidebar.

The Chronicles of Me

2010-07-07T15:59:00.000-07:00

Hello again!

So I have been gone for some time but I'm back! Where have I been you may ask? My mom decided to sign me up for every single activity she saw was available for summer. So much for taking it easy during my vacation...

Let me tell you what I have done so far.

The first thing I did was Volleyball camp. There were a few reasons why I like volleyball, besides the fact that I'm pretty good at it. 1) It's the sport with the least amount of running and, 2) it has that beautiful thing called air conditioning. But let me tell you, I was not expecting all the hustling and physical work out stuff that I did at camp.

The coaches were tough and the ones that looked like angels would scream and scare the heck out of me. It was still a good camp, though. I learned a ton of things I didn't know.

I learned where you go when the ball is coming to you, and where you go when the ball is on the opponent's side. I didn't know there was an art to this.

After a week of camp my legs were stiff and sore. Sleeping hurt, standing hurt, sitting hurt, and moving hurt. You get the idea? After my intense and painful mornings, I'd come back with friends and we would all spend hours in the pool, which was relaxing until we got out.

After Volleyball camp, I volunteered for a week at Vacation Bible School (I was also dragged into this).

So I get second grade. I'm thinking, maybe this will be fun like last year?!? Last year was great. Maeve's brother, Kevin, and I played mind readers at the back of the class room.

This little boy whom I adored would come and hold the colored end of his sharpie and we would guess the color. I would get it right and he would crack up.

That child was the cutest little thing!

I was wrong about fun. We had as many kids in our class as we had had helpers. And frankly, we didn't need a single helper, because the teacher, Carleigh, was doing just fine by herself. All I had to do was sit in the spinny chair and watch. My friend, Yayo, would pass me one of his silly band things and I would play with it for a while and then pass it back. I would talk with Carleigh and she would talk with me. It was a very interesting class. The children would just frown and color their picture. The only interesting question was,"Why did God make us?"

My reply?

"He was bored." You can imagine how hard I bit my tongue after that.

The only interesting event happened during the play in church when our class was supposed to sit quietly and watch. Yeah right.

On of the kids, David 1 started to talk really loudly while his buddy, Scott, was trying to get him to be quiet.

"Scott did you see Sponge Bob last night? Blah blah blah blah blah blah? Blah blahhahahahahaha!"

"David, shhhh.... you need to be quiet! Sophie help me he won't be quiet!"

"David I need you to please be quiet, the adults are glaring at us please." I hear scuffling behind me.

"Sophie please help." Yayo says between clenched teeth. I leave Scott to try to get David 1 to be quiet and turn around. David 2 is jumping on Yayo's lap. Every time he comes down, Yayo's eyes bulge out of his sockets.

"David you need to get off of Yayo's lap," I say calmly.

"Nope!" David 2 smiles his evil little smile and keeps jumping.

"David if you don't stop, I'm going to have you sit next to me and you're not going to get to sit with Yayo," I say sternly. David stops jumping and glares at me through his glasses. He slowly slides of Yayo's lap. A sigh of relief slips from Yayo's lips. David 2 remains relatively calm during the rest of the play.

Back to David 1. I turn around to find Scott's hands clamped over David 1's mouth.

"David you need to be quiet. Once we leave the building you can talk to Scott all you want." David stops talking loudly in mass. He only whispers.

And that is how I spent the first two weeks of my summer. More to come later.

-Sophia

Disclaimer-

Words exchanged through conversations are not exact. But pretty darn close.

Irons, and Glass, and Pliers, Oh My!

2010-07-05T08:18:00.000-07:00

*I wanted to post this a lot earlier, but I was having trouble with my internet. Technical difficulties... sigh. Carry on*

Sofia, our friend Candace, and I have spent every morning this week at art camp. We chose stained art because we thought it would be fun. It was, and I have several battle scars to prove it.

"You will get cut," both our teachers told us Monday. We set a record: most classes averaged between 15-25 injuries. We finished the week with a whopping 3 cuts, not including the minor scrapes and burns we ignored. I contributed with one gash on my finger (Forgot how to hold the glass when breaking it, go figure.).

I really liked the school. The entrance is a shaded garden, surrounding some old, stone buildings. My little brother, Alfonso, took his perspective class in one of the classrooms here. When I pick him up the first day, his teacher is staring at nothing, his hands stuffed into his pockets.

"Can I take him?"

"Huh? Yeah."

No papers to sign, didn't ask how I was related to him. Just nods a little, says even less, and hands over the child.

"He's kind of distracted all the time. And he tells us to call him by his first name," says Alfonso.

I decide that I like him.

My own teacher leads our class across the street to another campus. The receptionist is nice. She says hello and goodbye every time we come in or leave. On the last day, she says it was great seeing us. I give her an A+ for service.

This campus is also stunning, but in a very different way. It has high ceilings and long staircases. The hallway we walk through has black and white photographs. My favorite is one where a ballerina is sitting in what looks like a closet, surrounded by charred corns, still in their husk. You only see the bottom half of her, and her full, long, white skirt is illuminated like a lamp. I wonder what it all symbolizes, but I don't have a lot of time to ponder on it. Though it does occur to me that perhaps her skirt burned the corn.

We open the door to the kitchen, then open another door to storage room (albeit a very nice storage room). On the first day, several very large wooden crates are piled in the middle of the room. I wonder what they have inside. The next day when I run in late with my sister and Candace, I stop to notice that the crates have bee replaced with exhibit cases.

"Ooh, new stuff!" Says Candace.

"We could probably fit on the bigger ones," says Sofia.

I imagine myself crouched in one of the cases, staring at the people staring at me. I wonder if I would be a hit, go on tour, win awards... for originality? For exposing myself to the world? For being too lazy to come up with real art?

We open one more door to our left, and walk into our classroom. Our other teacher waits for us there every day. She's short and has wispy graying blond hair and glasses. She talks in a soft but somehow disorienting voice. She's very overwhelming, in fact. She confuses me whenever I ask a question, giving me more explanations than I can take in, because the fact is, I can barely cope with measuring the glass. I'd rather not say anything else about her though, because she is very sweet. She even gives us all her number on Friday, in case we decide to take up stained glass and have any questions.

Our other teacher is pretty quiet in comparison. He's straightforward, and he does a lot of the work for me. I want to think he does this just because he's a genuinely nice human. While this is completely true, I think he also realizes that I will probably never finish my project on my own. Also, I might accidentally kill myself without careful supervision. Either way, he's my hero.

I spend the first two days in class observing my peers-for-a-week (I also begin my project, a much less productive, much more frustrating activity.)

One boy think he's all that because he's moving on to a prestigious high school. He turns out be a very immature fourteen year old, but his piece is amazing. He make a guy playing a tuba, and there are a bunch of other little guys surrounding him. Every day, for break, he eats an apple. I call him apple picker.

The oldest girl there has already graduated from high school, but doesn't brag about it because she has a little something called maturity. She tells us she's here because she wants to "broaden her horizons." She's very good at broadening her horizons, and finishes about four pieces by Friday. She's almost sweet when she's not shy, and has a nice laugh. At first, I think she's pretty, but upon closer examination, I realize she is perpetually scowling, even when she's smiling. I decide she's (undeservedly) a Eustace, as much as I like her.

One girl is studying in

Singapore

, but she spends her summers here. She tells me that since there's only so much you can watch on TV, she's keeping herself busy, and is enrolled in several other classes, camps, and courses this summer. She has pale, flawless skin, and auburn hair. She warms up to me by the end of the week, and chats about her life in Singapore, the food, the culture, the vicious monkeys, the humid weather. She tells me that there's only about a dollar or so difference in currency, but everything is outrageously expensive over there. A good pair of jeans will cost at least $99. Nail polish is $30 (She has already stocked up while here.). I decide to call her Julia, just because it seems to fit her.

On the first day of class, this girl rushes in 30 minutes before the end of class. She's taller than everyone, so I assume she's an assistant or something. She's not. The next day, she doesn't show up. But after that, she does, always considerably late. I call her the White Rabbit, and laugh in my head. She's very relaxed and affable. People like her. She reminds me of Maeve's older sister, Winifred. She makes a sun and a moon.

A boy and a girl show up the second day of class. Only the boy comes back. He has shortish, black, gelled hair, and thick eyebrows. I expect him to have a deep, masculine voice. I almost jump out of my skin when he answers the teacher's question and his voice is soft and almost high pitched. Maybe that's why he barely talks. He emanates so much shyness, I cannot bring myself to speak to him. He's so serious, almost stern. But I notice he has a beautiful smile, and I get very close to complimenting his stained glass coat of arms. I hesitate a second to long, and I want to kick myself. His name is Julian. I really hope he doesn't read this blog.

The last boy in the class has blond hair and blue eyes. He gets the other two cuts in the class, and about twelve burns. During our break, he says the class is not what he expected. His sister got a stained glass kit for Christmas and this is nothing like it. I almost laugh in his face, but when he describes what he thought stained glass was, I realize I was expecting more or less the same. So we're both stupid. I tell him glass is not my medium. He says he likes pencil. So do I. He wants to be an architect. So did I, until I almost failed geometry, but I refrain from mentioning this. Instead, I just smile and nod.

I call him St. George, because he is positively holy. At least to me. I don't know where I get this idea from. However, in my mind, he has a halo around his head and an aura of pure innocence enveloping him. I soon feel the need to protect him. To shield him from the evil of the world, keep him from lies, and drugs, and SAT's, and teenage girls.

His halo starts to dim by the end of the week though.

"Your little angel is a grump," Sofi tells me. Silently, I have already begun to suspect this.

"Why do you think?"

"I complimented his work and he just frowned and grunted. He's rude to everyone."

I begin to think I imagined his aura. I think a little more, and I'm sure I did.

His bad manners do me good, though. My need to be everybody's mortal guardian angel is going to get me killed someday, out of sheer emotional exhaustion. I need someone to remind me of that, and he does so promptly.

For this, I should send him a thank you card. And fill the envelope with shredded glass, as a memento.

Oh, I ended up making a box. Just one, but I did a pretty good job, if I do say so myself. It's a little bit crooked, but you can't notice unless you look at it from the top. Which I guess you would do any time you put something in it...

Whatever.

Happy Birthday Little Bro

2010-06-19T18:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Yousef's birthday. I was a little bit too busy trying to juggle a violent stomach flu and a meeting to write about it. So...

*!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Happy Birthday Yousef!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After his friends left, and once we started to cut his ice cream cake, Sofi decided to start a new tradition: My Most Memorable Moment With _______.

She started, of course.

"My most memorable moment with Yousef was when he bit me-"

"I thought I bit Lola," interjects the birthday boy.

"You bit both of them," I remind him.

"As I was saying, he clamped onto me wouldn't let go. That bruise lasted a week. I will never forget. Juanito, your turn."

"My most memorable moment with Yousef is the time he beat me so many times at video games and rubbed it in my face so much, I cried."

"I remember!" Shouts Yousef. By this time, we're all shouting. "Victory, BAHAHAHA!!!!"

"Alfonso, it's your turn."

"My most memorable moment with Yousef was the times I went to Abuela's house with him."

"Actually, it's 'my most memorable moments with Yousef were the times I went to Abuela's house with him,'" I inform him.

"Who cares?"

Um, potential colleges will care when your SAT scores demonstrate you have no basic knowledge of grammar. But I decide not to tell him.

"Maria Teresa it's your turn."

"No!" Screeches the alien, otherwise known as my 5 yr. old brother. "My favorite moment with Yousef is when he dies."

"That's not funny," says Sofi.

"I was kidding, my real moment was-"

"Nope, you're disqualified," says Sofi, "Maria Teresa, go."

Obviously being the eldest does not make me leader of the pack.

"My favorite moment with Yousef was... oh, that time the other day when he told us about the VBS teacher who was in love with little girls. That was funny." (Oh, and in order to avoid a potential lawsuit, that's an inside joke. No illegal activity occurred.)

The rest of our conversation was increasingly obnoxious. In order to not ~~embarrass my mother~~ maintain my family's honor, I will not relate it here.

I'll finish by saying that the cake was really good. Alas, it did not help my stomach condition in any way.

Oh, and GO MEXICO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

* In the colors of the Mexican flag. Because we won. Adieu France.

We Are All Pathetic...

2010-06-17T10:01:00.000-07:00

Created by Oatmeal

I couldn't resist :)

2010-06-16T19:25:00.001-07:00

Created by Oatmeal

Umm, I was supposed to write a real post...

2010-06-14T20:18:00.001-07:00

Created by Oatmeal

Um. Yeah.

Indie Artist of the Week: Jensen Keets

2010-06-09T11:11:00.000-07:00

I should probably explain why I've been absent for these past weeks (finals, if you must know), and how I'm chillin' it out in Sunny California, but I won't. That's not interesting. What is interesting is an interview I had the opportunity to do with the lovely singer-songwriter Jensen Keets. I could go all fan-girl for days about what a good lyricist she is, and how her voice is far far better than most singers on the radio, but, I'll let you find out for yourself.

First of all, we’d like to thank you for the interview! You’re a fashion designer and musician. I find it really impressive and inspiring that you haven’t put one talent on hold in order to focus on the other. How do you juggle both professions?

Oh my...it is a juggle indeed. I have currently been trying put the gas petal more on my music to accelerate in that career, but it has been a huge challenge. Because I work for a small firm, I have always worn several hats besides just designing. Sometimes it requires late nights in the office. All companies are trying to recreate themselves to generate capital from new areas now because of the current economy and technological changes. The squeeze keeps getting tighter, and the number of hats keeps growing. It's tough. The plus side is I have learned this incredible trade, and that I have been able to pay a mortgage and finance my record through my job in fashion. I love both fields, but my heart finds more joy in the expression of music.

There are several musicians that are also known for their unique fashion, for example, Madonna, Elton John, or more recently, Lady Gaga. Are there any such musicians that you look up to or have inspired you?

Oh definitely Madonna. I love her. She is always creative, and has such sassy, tasteful class. There is nobody that does it better than her. I admire her on many levels. In the early years her shock methods were brilliant. She is an incredible artist and a brilliant business woman. She has always tested the limits by using fashion, dance and current urban trends, to make her music more than just music. It was an entertainment experience. Michael Jackson was also a huge inspiration for me regarding this. That mans talent blew my mind.

We were all blown away by your song “Expectations.” (Actually, it’s worse than that. It’s stuck in our heads, and we’ve been singing it constantly.) What’s the inspiration behind it?

I believe it started out by wondering about myself and a bunch of my single female friends... There seem to be many attractive, and successful women here that just can't seem to find steady romantic partners. I find it to be somewhat of an urban epidemic here in NYC. Ha. New Yorkers are extremely friendly despite their reputation. However, many people here have, "what do you want from me?" shields held high, guarding them. Most people live here because they have big dreams, big expectations, therefore agenda is priority. In addition, our society influences many people into feel a false need to constantly upgrade, setting their expectations high on ego and materialistic status symbols. From their cell phones, to careers as well as personal relationships. The choices seem unlimited, so turnover is prevalent. In a nut shell, it's about all the expectations of all these outside influences that we place on ourselves. I believe it's deceptive. It's much more fruitful to focus on our happiness from within.

Many modern musicians have songs that deal with social issues. However, you’ve done the same without making your songs sound corny or repetitive. On the contrary, your lyrics are poetic, frank, and, overall, impeccable. All I can ask is, how do you do it?

Wow, first of all, thank you. That's an incredible compliment. I really have to pressure myself to write. I'm a bit of a procrastinator, or some like to call it a percolator. :) I book studio time a month ahead, then I casually think about what I will write about for a couple weeks...but I never really start writing until around the 3rd week when the heat is on. Then, I'll hit coffee shops, and sometimes bars, and starting writing everything going on in my head. I will write for hours and let the world around me disappear. Then, ...well, sometimes this part actually comes first, it depends,....I will sit quietly in my apartment, without looking at anything I wrote and I will just feel what comes. Usually a major piece of the song just comes to me in lyric and melody together. It's sort of a third eye, out of body channeling that occurs. I usually hear it in my head first, then pick up the guitar and work that part of it out. Finally, I labor over the lyrics 1 or 2 days before the studio session (sometimes stay up all night) to work around that part of the song that came naturally. Many times I'm still writing in the studio. Also, I go back to my pages of journaled writings from the coffee shop and pull bits out. It's only recently I've starting picking up the guitar first and working out different progressions I like.

When did you become interested in music? Can you remember the first song you ever wrote?

Ever since I was a little girl, I 've always been in love with all types of music. I remember the first time I actually thought I could sing. I was at my best friends house....I was probably about 7 yrs old singing "On The Radio" by Donna Summer at the top of my lungs. Music never really propel me at that time because soccer took over my world as a young girl. I then became turned on again later at the end of my Senior year in High School. I started singing for my church as a song leader on Sundays. I had a really slow start in writing songs, because I had no musical training, and I wasn't sure where to begin. I think I wrote my first song around 1995. I wrote two songs back then, and yet again time got away from me. I was busy climbing the corporate ladder in the fashion industry. Then, after my Mother died of an inoperable brain tumor in 2003, I really woke up and realized that life is extremely short. You have to go for all your dreams right now, because you never know when your mortality card is up. So, I literally started manifesting making an album. I started taking guitar lessons, and through my guitar teacher at the time, Karyn Kuhl (formerly of SexPod), I met my producers, Barb Morrison and Charlie Nieland, who I knew could help me achieve my vision.

Who or what is the inspiration behind your work?

Well, besides the obvious repetitive single NYC woman challenges and stimulus, there are a couple other variables. One being, as I mentioned above, that my Moms death really had an effect on me to utilize my creativity and my voice, with all my soul, while I have the opportunity to do it. The second inspiration has been music artist Sarah McLachlan. There is something about her music, her voice, and her songwriting that has continued to propel me to keep moving forward. As an active philanthropist with Lilith and women's rights, her music school SMMO in Vancouver, and ASPCA, etc., she has inspired me to keep it real and make my music more than just a pretty love song. Music is incredibly empowering and healing. It seems obvious to tie in charity whenever possible.

Anyone you’d really want to duet with?

That might obviously be Sarah McLachlan. I would also like to duet with Billy Joel.

What can we expect from you in the future?

I intend to get a lot more performing under my belt. I am current working on figuring out a way to free up more time to tour. I will continue writing, of course. I would like to make this more of a disciplinary part of my schedule. In addition, I would like to start designing some specialty leather and faux leather jackets to offer under my own label. It's all just the beginning.

You know what to do ;)

Myspace

Twitter

Facebook

Track to download: "Expectations" It will get stuck in your head. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Emily Osment is all grown up. Just like Miley....

2010-06-07T18:51:00.001-07:00

Has anyone heard about Miley lately? More like daily. I can't keep track of her scandals anymore, there are to just too many. But no one ever really paid any attention to her Hannah Montana costar, Emily Osmet.

Emily here thinks she can sing. Just like Miley. I thought, okay whatever, she's a Disney star, they have to stretch every dime out of themselves. We've seen this act before. Nothing new.

My expectation for her song lyrics were something along the lines of this:

Its my life I'll do what I want with it! Let me have fun in the summer sun.

Or,

I see you staring at me and I know that we are meant to be.

You and I forever and always. Oh, oh, ahhhhh, oh.

I'm serious, does anyone remember Ally and AJ?

No one, no one don't wanna be no one but me!

and then their song, "In A Second."

Don't know where you are.

Wish I could be near you.

I would sail oceans to get a

glimpse of how you feel

You get the idea.

So I was a little surprised to hear her song. Because I figured she would at least have a few months of being squeaky clean. I even gave her the benefit of doubt when I saw the picture above where I'm 90% sure she's supposed to wear a shirt with the bra?

I was WRONG.

Hey whats your name I think I like you/ Come a little closer now/ Wait what you say is that your girlfriend I think I'll be turning that around/ Don't you wanna don't you wanna know what it would feel like?

Let's be friends so we can make out/ Your so hot let me show you around/ I see what I wanna play/ everyone knows I'm getting my way/ it doesn't matter what you say/ I'm knocking you down, down, down/ I'm knocking you down, down, down/ I'm knocking you down, down, down.

Now, it wasn't explicit or anything but would you want your 8 year old sister going around the house singing that?

You can listen to the rest here. Please be advised she can't sing. She's completely edited and you will waste 3 minutes and 5 seconds of your life that you will not be able to get back.

One more Disney star down!

-Sophia

P.S. If you would like to spend 3 minutes and 5 seconds of your life or more on in a better way, here are a few worth while things to do:

1- Listen to Expectations by Jensen Keets here. If you want to be blown away for 3 minutes and 41 seconds.

2- Go outside and do a few sit ups.

3- Go to Free Rice and feed a hungry family.

2010-05-30T17:55:00.000-07:00

I wanted to wish a Happy Birthday to my dear friend Maeve. Today is her Birthday and I hope she spent a wonderful B-day.

MAEVE TODAY IS YOUR BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!

So have a very nice day.

-Sophia

I'm Too Sleepy to Think Up a Clever Title...

2010-05-22T19:35:00.000-07:00

Adolescence has had a reverse effect on me. I'm pretty sure it was supposed to boost my interest in appearance, popularity, and boys. Instead I live in old sweats and jeans, my mother literally rejoices when I have any sort of social outing, and it just occurred to me the other day, that, if anything, I like boys less than I did when I was nine. I'm not completely sure why, but ever since I almost killed myself falling in love when I was thirteen, I haven't really felt any butterflies over a guy for a long time. Even in France.

But, dear me, old Hollywood actors make me feel dreamy.

It started when I first watched Mary Poppins. I was four, maybe five, so it was really quite platonic, but I figured that when I got married, my Prince Charming had to look like Dick Van Dyke.

Showered, of course.

Stupid Mary was totally in the way, though.

Then a few years back, I watched Giant, and, besides crying my eyeballs out and being depressed for days because of the injustices of the world, I fell madly in love with James Dean.

And I still am.

I really felt his pain. Being brilliant, misunderstood, and kind of weird is annoying at first, then terribly lonely. Add unrequited love to the mix, and you're bound to die young. Of course, this didn't quite occur to me when I was twelve, but I still felt his pain. In my innocent twelve year old way.

When I first saw James Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life, I thought he was kind of ugly. Then, I saw him Rear Window. I truly believe age did wonderful things to him.

'Course, Grace Kelly is the more impressive of the two.

Last summer, I watched To Kill a Mockingbird for the first time. ~~Atticus Finch~~ Gregory Peck is my soulmate.

Sigh...

Except that he's dead.

National Praying Mantis Day (According to me)

2010-05-18T11:41:00.001-07:00

I think today should be National Praying Mantis Day. So now, in my world, it is!

*Applaud*

*Hoots*

*Screams of joy*

*Tears of happiness*

So here is a small tribute to some very cool Praying Mantis's.

Bow down to me!!!!

Wannabe Spider-Man praying mantis

Dracula Praying Mantis

The Praying Praying Mantis

-Sofi

Funny

2010-05-10T07:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to Joe's Crab Shack. We asked for a take out box and today we noticed that it said Chili's to go. I'm still laughing.

Molly Parden = Instant Happiness

2010-05-06T07:49:00.000-07:00

After a brief (right) hiatus, I decided to resurrect Indie Artist of the Week. Yup, be proud of me.

Molly Parden honestly, honestly, sounds like summer. I listened to her for the first time a few days ago when I ~~ditched my diet~~ was enjoying some coconut ice cream out on the hammock. For 4 minutes and 15 seconds, I felt like ocean breezes and walking barefoot through the grass (...shoot me...). You might have a completely different sensation, but, trust me, it'll be nice. Join me in my reverie, download "Cream Soda Kiss" here. If you need more incentive, it's free. And, if you're less ~~cheap~~ poor than I am, you could buy a song and support this lovely musical genius.

Lastly, friend her on Myspace or follow her on Twitter.

Peace!

One Day Into the Week and I Already Almost Killed My Brother. Twice.

2010-05-04T18:30:00.000-07:00

I ride my bike almost everyday. When I'm overwhelmed with school, or the noise level in my house, or my nasty little friends, I go outside and glide around, all by myself. I don't ride miles or anything, and I probably don't burn many calories, but I have fun. Yesterday, I thought I would invite my little brother into my happy little world. Not really, he asked if he could race me. I'm not very competitive, but, strangely, I said yes.

He rode off before me, and, strangely again, I cheated back by going across the grass. This put me ahead of him a good two inches. As we pedaled furiously to the finish line, I faintly heard my mom's voice through the window, shouting at me to stop. At the speed we were going, immediate obedience could have very well landed me in a tree.

I did think I was going to fall, though. But as I turned around to sing victory, what do I see but my agile, poised little brother tumbling- by tumbling, I really mean, flipping, crashing, flying- out of his bike, onto the pavement. (You know, it was really weird that at first he seemed to get tangled up in his bike, which seemed to keep going on its own accord, before being dumped on the ground.) He even rolled around a few times for good measure.

Two seconds on the grass and he started gasping. Then he screamed. He got up and for a brief second, I thought maybe I wouldn't have to carry him. No luck though. He lifted his arms like a two year old and started sobbing.

I can't blame him. After I lifted him up and started the trek home, I noticed the gash on his knee. I'm not that squeamish when it comes to blood. But, oh my gosh, this was ugly. It reminded me of this time in first grade, when this kid scraped his knee so badly you could see the bone. I almost threw up both times.

"Is it really bad?" asked the poor child.

"No!" I shouted, "It's not bad at all!"

The whole way home, I kept up my act, shouting (I don't know why I was shouting. Maybe I was trying to drown out the voice in my head that was telling me to drop the boy and run.) that he would be fine, and that it was only a cut.

He's lucky he didn't have to get stitches. At least he has one sick battle scar.

The second way I almost killed him was that I was about to give him some Advil for the pain when my mom asked me if I was mentally impaired. Turns out, you can't give a 9 year old an adult dose, or they might, you know, die. I guess I have lost touch with my childhood.

I really hate Mondays.

Just A Thought

2010-04-30T14:06:00.001-07:00

Hello again it has been a long time since I have posted but I have been very busy.

But I came here to share a few thoughts. Well mainly only one fabulous idea.

Starting a fashion blog. I have looked at some fashion blogs happy to look at my favorite thing and then scroll down to find things I just didn't want to see.

So I thought why not clench my thirst for fashion by making a blog?

How hard can it be to manage a fashion blog?

Well I guess I'll soon find out.

So what to expect?

I honestly don't know but I do know your going to get to see my designs and my opinions about everything fashion.

So off to start my fashion blog.

-Sophia

Interview with Yousef on video games, girls, and Twilight. Things haven't changed much

2010-04-26T09:47:00.000-07:00

When I was ten, I wanted to be a hairdresser. I had my tenth birthday at my dad's beauty supply. It was beauty themed and my friends and I had our hair and nails done. Obviously, things have changed since then. A lot. Fortunately, I have been able to keep in touch with the good part of my ten year old self. I mean, ten is important. As my friend Ximena once said, it's the first time you're a double digit number!

Anyways, I decided to interview my ten year old brother, Yousef, to ask him if things have changed since I was a first-time double-digiter. We talked about sci-fi, heavy metal, and girls. If he didn't like video games so much, I would swear we were the same person. Really.

How have you been dude? Uh, good.

So, tell me, what's life really like for a ten year old? Uh boring. It's ok. I'm ten so there's not really much to do, except play video games

Other than video games, what are things you're really interested in? I'm interested in sci-fi movies, heavy metal.

I'ts not really that heavy, you know... Well, I'm interested in Evanescence, Linkin, Park, Nirvana, Foo Fighters-

Well, Nirvana is grunge, and the Foo Fighters are alternative rock. What about Evanescence? And Linkin park?

Evanescence is probably metal... Linkin Park is just hard rock maybe. Sometimes they're nu metal...

What are your friendships like? {We} play video games? Play sports. Talk about movies, and how dumb they are. {We talk} about how dumb Twilight is.

Who do you talk about Twilight with? Uen. I tell him Twilight is dumb.

What are things you're afraid of? Spiders. I'm not gonna say the dark.

When you're ten do you still hate girls.. or do you kind of like them? You hate them. Because they ruin your life.

Some of your friends have girlfriends already, you know... I know that... and... I tell them they're dumb because of that. And I don't think an eight, nine, or ten year old should have a girlfriend.

How old do you think a boy should be to have a girlfriend? I don't think they should even have them. It's a waste of your time. Play video games instead.

Or read a book? Some books. If they're sci-fi. And Ralf S. Mouse.

Don't you like the Hobbit? The Hobbit is sci-fi. Ish.

Fantasy. Yeah, I guess so.

What do you want to be when you grow up? I don't want to think about growing up because then I'm supposed to be mature.

If you were a superhero, who would you be? Uh... (he ponders on this) Hm. (He shrugs and gives me a weird look.) I don't know. I know who I would be if I was a villain.

Who? The joker.

Why? Because he's weird.

Are you weird? Maybe...

Why do you think that? It's a joke. I'm not weird, I'm awesome.

If you had to chose between jumping off a cliff or spending the whole day with a ten year old girl, which would you shoose? On the other hand, I love cliffs.

Any last words? Star Wars rocks. Peace out

Well said.

Croissants are better in France.

2010-04-17T20:01:00.000-07:00

Lots of things are better in France. Starting with:

1. Food. Not just the food. Eating in itself was an experience. People don't just walk into a restaurant and hurry out. They enjoy their meal. They eat it outside. They don't talk on the phone (what a concept, right?). And of course, everything tasted amazing, even the fast food. Especially the street food.

That's a genuine French Nutella Crepe. Screw Le Madeleine.

2. Museums. Namely, the Louvre. Going there was possibly the highlight of, hm, I don't know, my life so far. It made me feel inspired, and overwhelmed, but in a good way. Oh, and the Mona Lisa isn't such a big deal. She's actually pretty disappointing. Bummer, since I've been waiting ten years to see her in person.

And outside, people took naps, picnicked, made out, read, soaked up the sun on the warm grass.

Tell me, where can you find that in an American museum? I've been to several, and never have I witnessed anything quite like it. One guy, bless his lovely French heart, took a swim in a fountain, and didn't come out until the security guard called for back up. If you're ever in Paris, I definitely recommend visiting the Louvre. It will break my poor little artist's heart if you don't.

3. Graffiti. I don't want to support vandalism, but they do a way better job over in France.

Quite creative, too.

4. And, how to ignore it, French boys. Let's just say my standards have been raised significantly.

I did a lot of sighing in France.

Oh, and if you're ever in Paris, keep in mind that walking by a modeling school smack in the center of a high end shopping district (you know, Gucci, Prada, Fendi, ~~blah blah blah~~, etc.) can crush your self esteem.

Crush. It.

Observation

2010-04-15T16:00:00.001-07:00

Today I came to a bewildering realization. The true concept is this:
Every situation that is easy to get into, is strifeful to escape from.
Everything almost impossible to enter is as butter to depart from.
A cat may seamlessly climb a tree one morning only to realize they have no plan of return.
A human may accidentally slide his/her foot into a small, confined opening, only to trap themselves.
One may go through a tedious, five step process of applications and interviews to receive a job and then be relieved with a snap of a finger, the slightest mistake.
One may work hard to enter into an honor class and then revert back to regular shortly after due to simple failure.
So you see, life is so odd.
Just another observation from the mind of Josette.

Let me know if you have any other examples to prove the observation in a comment.

Beautiful, Resourceful, Technology

2010-04-11T18:49:00.001-07:00

How ideal. Now I can send a blog through my phone and it shall appear on The Marveloddities. This is magnificent because now whenever something strikes me, I don't have to wait until I return home and pray I still remember it. And whenever I have time on the go, I can also write! How perfect.