DC in March

Yesterday I enrolled in a program at school called Close-Up. It's a really neat program that enables students intrested in government to visit Washiington DC. The trip is geared specifically towards students and shows up close how the government works. On the trip, we will be able to meet with our congressmen, Supreme Court justices, attend seminars, participate in debates, visit some of the major monuments at the National Mall, and more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

anyway-I have become very much interested in all this political tripe that is going on so needless to say, I am very excited to be going on this trip. I have never really traveled very far and have wanted to visit DC for a long time.


[to help with financing, I was given Tax Write Off forms to give to people who would be intrested in contributing to my funds WHILE LOWERING their Arizona Tax Bill. Let me know if you are able and willing. it would be much appriciated :) ]

I reccomend..

"ONE WEEK"
It's a parody of a newsreel showing how a newlywed couple put together a new prefabricated house in just one week. In Keaton's version, a rival for his bride's hand switches the identifying letters on the crates around, so that the house ends up looking like Anyway, you can watch this movie on You Tube. It's a short film and I reccomend if you are ever bored, to go check it out. It is absolutly hilarious.

hamlet

I recently added to my collection the full-text, full-length cinematic movie of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Adapted, acted in, and directed by the amazing Kenneth Brenagh (Prof. Lockhart from HP 2). It has quickly become one of my favorite movies. And yes, I am aware at how nerdy I probably sound right now, but that's ok. I had no idea how amazing Shakespeare's plays were until I enrolled in a Shakespeare class at school. Of course, we were all forced to read Romeo&Juliet sometime during jr. high, but I personally think making 14 year olds read a play that ends in teenage suicide is a horrible introduction to Shakespeare. Non the less, after reading The Taming of the Shrew and Hamlet, my opinion of William and his work has been substantially enlightened.


What's cool about this movie is instead of being set in the 1600's like it is originally, it is set in the early 19th century.

Not-milk?

yuck.

at work

nothing better to do than to create bumper stickers.

buster keaton

In the realm of silent comedy, Chaplin is the most famous, but Buster Keaton is the funniest. In fact, Keaton is hilarious. I have been completely obsessed with his movies lately. Three Buster Keaton movies made AFI's list of the one hundred funniest American movies: The General (18), Sherlock, Jr. (62), and The Navigator (81). Also, he just so happends to be my great-great 2nd cousin on my great-great-great-grandma Emmeline Keaton's side. Or something like that. Pretty cool.

thank you, thank you

I want to thank everyone in my family who made my eighteenth birthday so great!
It was really fun tonight. I am always wanting to make pizza for dinner but if it's ever pizza, my dad insists on Vito's. So, this being my birthday and my decision on the food, I made 4 pizzas for everyone! horray! they were O.K. I suppose, considering our oven kept shutting off. But anyway, It was a really fun time. I got such great gifts, thank you everyone! I truly loved them all! And I must confess..I did recieve, most humbly, my dream acoustic guitar..A Martin. It is a Martin DX1 and its gorgeous.



I love the neck, it's beautiful.



And yes, my craving for this guitar came directly from Bob Dylan. He owned Martins throughout his career. It has an amazing sound! I am loving it.

yes, I am!

Thats right. I turn 18 sunday and have just sent out my voting registration forms in yesterday. Pretty neat! Glad it finally matters that I pay attention to politics.

WHAT A NIGHT

tonight was great. I went to the john vanderslice show at the modified and it was brilliant of course. before it started some friends and i went down to circle k and bought him a 'Suprise Bag' they had there and put it on the stage adressed to him. he opened it and gave all the stuff out to people. there were also a pair of goofy glasses in it which he wore for the next song. it was hilarious. he also gave out blue berry oatmeal cookies to everyone and they were really good. Then after the show i was very fortunate enough to talk with him. he told me that i should open up a business with my name and thats all it would be."people will come and you say 'Leslie Carling' then they leave and you take all the money!" he gave me a nice hug and my friends and i got a picture with him and the band. LOVE HIM! cant wait to see hima gain in the spring! he is so friendly to everyone. probably one of the nicest people ive ever met

okkervil river on conan

I cannot beleive they were on Conan!(then again, I can) but the first time I saw them it was about 3 years ago and Angela took me and there were about 50 of us cramped up in Stinkweeds. I literally felt the mist of his saliva as he sang. Anyway, I just saw them again on Friday and it was probably one of the most enjoyable shows I have ever been to in my life.