I try to refrain from writing posts that sounds like journal entries, but I feel like this must be said. I feel like the older I get, the more pride I have. That's an awful thing. Pride is awful! I speak more about my problems to my friends when I should be talking to them about happy things or maybe their problems. I'm sorry. I try to remember that there is always someone out there with a bigger problem. Instead of sitting around, talking, thinking about my problems, I need to pray for others'. I could even throw in something about my dilemmas to God! He knows what I'm going through. He knows what I need. At the same time, I need to keep in mind all the things He's blessed me with.
Remember when I said, Pictures Now, Stories Later? My friend complained to me the other day for not putting stories on yet from Los Angeles...
** We didn't just go to L.A. to go to L.A. LOL. We went for the STN (Student Television Network) convention. Kiddos that attended- Mr. Riley, Anthony, Kat, Tawni, Kayla, Sara and I.
Wednesday, March 6- We all decided that we would go to school for first hour and watch our school show air (CHS Wired) and then go get some breakfast together before the flight. I decided I would skip first hour and only go to school to watch the show at 9:30 am... I was excused for the whole day after all... why not take advantage of it? Well, as we're leaving the driveway we notice that we have no gas- To the point where we were afraid we wouldn't even make it to the gas station... I was praying to God that I would make it in time to watch the show.. Let's just say I made it to school right at 9:30. God is good. We had a minor flip out when we realized that part of a story had no audio. The lady's lips were moving and no sound... we were all scared for our lives. We now know what went wrong and it will never happen again. Sorry to everyone who watched the show and was slightly confused. All the girls ate breakfast together at the airport.. and... waited. In the end, Emma's mom, who is a flight attendent, told us that some of us had a chance of being kicked off the flight since the plane was down sized and there weren't enough seats. Greeaaaat. We quickly grabbed our bags... and we were off!
Aren't my companions cute? Tawni on the right and Kat on the left.
The plane was definitely down sized. It was terrifyingly small. I think less than 30 seats total. We arrived in the Salt Lake airport and missed our flight by only a few minutes. I wasn't too upset. It's the Salt Lake airport!
(We played a prank on friends back home and said we saw ^^ Sean from The Bachelor
Some still believe to this day! hahaha)
There were better stores than the ones from the mall back home! Mr. Riley, our broadcast teacher and chaperone, took care of our bags while we went shopping and got yogurt. Kat's yogurt below.
Mr. Riley wasn't bored though. That man can make friends faster than a... um... well, pretty fast (I was trying to think of something redneck I could say). He sat and made faces at a baby for about an hour. And let me tell ya, that baby had a poker face. Oh my deary. I have never seen a human being not laugh at Mr. Riley. That baby just stared at him! And he was chubby too!! haha. Many Office episodes, walking carpet and elevator adventures, snapchats, and people watching segments later (6 hours, actually) we were off to Los Angeles! Funny story- So, I don't fly a lot. My family prefers road trips. I lovee road trips. So when we got on this big plane to L.A., I had a little problem. It was so cool that we all get our own t.v., but I'd never used one before. I was so excited I couldn't sleep! I wanted to watch some news because being the journalist that I am, I have to stay caught up with news! Now I knew how to work the t.v. but how can you hear it? So I began to look around and observe. More like creep, hard. After about half an hour I saw someone had their headphones plugged into the headphone jack in the arm rest. OHHHHH. Gimme a break. Haha :) Now please remember and keep in mind this little fact.. two of the five girls that went had never been to California before. **Shocked face** So when we were driving to our hotel the girls were like, "Oh my gosh! Look at the palm trees and all the lights!" Anthony would be sassy and say things like, "Ooh! Lights!" hahaha I knew at that moment that this trip would be so fun.
Thursday, March 7- The hotel was absolutely amazing. Anthony and Mr. Riley got their own room. The five girls got two separate rooms... on the 11th floor :) :) amazing view. We were going to use one room as our closet and the other for sleeping... but then we decided to be normal haha. When we first arrived we saw a sign that said "Swedish House Mafia." It was in front of one of the convention centers and people were setting it up for a press conference. I FLIPPED OUT.
I told Mr. Riley to go to the front desk immediately and find out when they're going to arrive. Haha he did go... I think he was scared for my sanity... I went on the internet and saw that they were going to have a concert that Saturday in a hotel a few blocks down. Gahhhh. You guys know how addicted I am to going to concerts.. but this one was too much money. So when Mr. Riley came back and told me that it was only a company doing a press conference, I was broken hearted. At the time "Don't You Worry Child" was my favorite song. I was like, "Who the heck names a company Swedish House Mafia?! Like, really?! Maybe they're just saying that so we don't go..." After my mental breakdown, we walked to a restaurant for breakfast. Mr. Riley wouldn't tell us where he was leading us haha. Kinda sketchy. Kinda cool. He ended up taking us to Ihop. I thought, "We're in Los Angeles. Why don't we go somewhere we don't have back home?" I didn't complain though because he ended up paying for our meal! So sweet :) We took sooo many pictures. Tawni and Sara are photographers. They took pictures of everything. But now we have great memories.. So we each chose and paid for certain sessions in which professionals would be the instructors. We could also enter a music video competition in which they would give us a song. We would have three hours to film and three hours to edit.
Editing room.
However, we each chose sessions. Tawni arrived late for hers because our food took so long. Haha
But we got to wander the hotel where the convention was. It was only down the street from our hotel. Oh my deary. I have never seen such a nice hotel. The elevators were on the outside of the building and made of glass. We had many adventures in there :)
There were so many kids. Everywhere. I realized how many people shared the same passion as me. It also made me realize how much more I need to learn. There were kids that had the nicest equipment.. Others walked with such confidence.. It was intimidating, but also a nice eye opener. Everyone I talked to finally spoke the same "language." So, we were waiting for Tawni. Everyone went to get coffee, and since I don't like coffee, I offered to take care of our stuff. They were about to leave their stuff on the couch! Even in the airport the group wasn't careful with their things.
That was when I realized I was going to be the mom on the trip. Mr. Riley wasn't much of a responsible chaperone. Sure, he was an amazing chaperone, but he didn't really care what we did. He would literally just leave us. At the airport, we had to find our own terminal because he left us haha! Good thing Anthony is the avid flyer.. he found his way around and we followed. So I sat and took care of our bags and made some new friends. The convention didn't officially start until the next day so we planned to go do stuff after everyone's sessions. Tawni wanted to go to Santa Monica so bad. That's all she ever talked about haha. Santa Monica! Santa Monica! Anthony had some connections and got the privilege of going to a soccer practice with Division 1 kids. So we decided we'd drop him off at soccer practice and we'd go to the beach! So Mr. Riley got a suburban and we were off. First, we went shopping :) duhhh. The driver's name was Diego.. his family was from Mexico and he spoke Spanish. Nothing out of the ordinary. We were in California after all. Well everyone turned and stared at me when was telling us about himself. Just because I'm mexican doesn't make me related to every other mexican. They were like, "Maybe he's your cousin!" "You guys have like, a connection!" Ha. Ha. We finally found the high school in which they were practicing.. and dropped off Anthony. I made sure he was safe, don't worry. The beach was amazing. The last time I'd been to a beach was when I was a baby. I didn't really remember.. so that was basically the first time. It was just like in the movies! So pretty. The food was good too!
We got back at around nine, but I was still full of adrenaline. We get our bikinis on and get swimming in the pool! Heated pool! Oooh it was nice. Back home we saw that our hotel had a way nice weight room and Sara promised she'd work out with me. So we go back to our room and change again haha. We put in a good work out and... on our way back from the weight room Sara, Kayla and I meet these guys.. they were yelling to us from the lobby! We found out that their school was hosting the STN convention and they were from L.A. So they knew L.A. "like the back of their hand." Julian seemed like the leader of the group.. and the most attractive ;) They wanted to go "party" and assured us that they would be safe. Being the mom of the group, I was a little worried. Does "party" have the same meaning in L.A. than it does back home? (We found out it didn't haha) I still couldn't get over the fact that out of all the gorgeous girls at the convention they chose us.. and remember, we were just swimming and working out.. we didn't look so attractive. We discovered we were staying on the same floor.. Haha oh the irony and that we'd meet in the lobby in 15 minutes. The first thing I did was call Anthony. He didn't have any guy friends on this trip! And good thing I invited him.. he made a lady friend later that night :) Only about 5 guys came back down. We walked to the convention center and just hung out, played some card games.. We went to sleep late that night... but it was def the highlight of our trip. The girls and I still think back to that adventure.
Friday, March 8- You would think we would be absolutely exhausted after getting only a few hours of sleep, but we were still so full of energy! We went to the convention all day and learned so many things. I really enjoyed the courses taught by Les Rose. He's like, my broadcast idol now haha. I tried to take as many sessions from his as possible. One really stood out to me. The session was called "Why Journalism Matters." He was sure to point out to us the dangers in having the career of a journalist. Many die every year. However, he also asked us who wanted a career that could change the world and save lives. I raised my hand and began to pay more attention. He told us countless stories where he, through the stories he created and filmed, improved the lives of others. I still don't know what I want to do, but journalism sounds better and better everyday.
I might have posted this already.. Oh well:) Les Rose films for Steve Hartmen. Pretty cool!
During the convention this nice lady came up and asked us if we would like to be on the opener to Channel 1 news in Los Angeles. Yes please!! You can watch it here.
STN held a dance that night for us. Let me tell ya. The music was awful. Remember the kids we met the day before? Julian? Well, he's a DJ. I wish he had DJ'd that party. We left early haha.
Saturday, March 9-
Staying up late finally caught up with us. Saturday was the last day we were going to be in Los Angeles. We tried to make the best of it and learn a ton-ton, while having a blast.
After the convention we ate at the ESPN Zone! That's like the only thing Anthony wanted to do. We were going to watch the Lakers game, but the tickets were way expensive. The restaurant was also crazy expensive.. but crazy good. I ordered the classic-a pizza. I didn't realize how big it would be though... This was not my pizza (I settled with cheese), but my camera won't upload the pictures I took.. all these pictures are courtesy of google and the girls that went with me. The ESPN zone was crazy cool. There was an electric bull ride... and Tawni and I walked over to the Staples Center!
During dinner we watched the Gonzaga game! Then we got a cab (my first time ever) and went back to the convention just in time for the talent show.... well, we were fashionably late. The talent show also featured the music videos that some kids made. You could enter that competition, pick a song out of their choices, film in 3 hours and then edit in 3 hours. Very tough. However, there were some absolutely mind blowing entries. This one was my favorite and it won first place!
I remember that morning being mighty confusing. Mr. Riley told us to be down at a certain time so we could catch our plane, right? Well my no one's alarm went off. Long story short- Kayla called Anthony and asked how much time we had left to load up the shuttle, and he replied with one of the worst answers in the history of the universe. "We have to be in the lobby in 5 minutes." Let us rewind. We got back way late the night before and stayed up every other night. I wanted to sleep not pack my bags in a new record time. I made it though! Since this post is getting long.. we arrived safely and the girls and I are no super close friends. Now I can't wait for next year's trip! :)
I have this problem of hating when I don't know what people are talking about. That's how I came across The Walking Dead. People wouldn't stop talking about it and I had to give it a chance. The same with The Office and the book The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. I started the book yesterday. Wow. There are so many lines that I've memorized. I'm about halfway through... don't spoil it for me, guys. That's my ultimate pet peeve. I just read one paragraph that Gus says... it really stood out to me...
"After a moment, he said, "If you go to the Rijksmeseum, which I really wanted to do-but who are we kidding, neither of us can walk through a museum. But anyway, I looked at the collection online before we left. If you were to go, and hopefully someday you will, you would see a lot of paintings of dead people. You'd see Jesus on the cross, and you'd see a dude getting stabbed in the neck, and you'd see people dying at sea and in battle and a parade of martyrs. But Not. One. Single. Cancer. Kid. Nobody biting it from the plague or smallpox or yellow fever or whatever, because there is no glory in illness. There is no meaning in it. There is no honor in dying of.""
Wow. Isn't it true, though? 7.6 million people die of cancer each year, worldwide... is there anything for them?
Deep thoughts.
-Abbey
Props to you Ed Sheeran. My new favorite song is about a prostitute and I didn't even realize it. You covered the meaning under a catchy tune and metaphors. Koodos.
Have you guys heard "The A Team" by Ed Sheeran?
It's a dang catchy song! Who knew it has been out for three years?! However, I didn't really know what it was about until after the third time I listened to it... this was also after my little sisters and I were jammin to it in the car. My mother was also present. Wow.
The line "Long nights, strange men" stood out to me, and I began to pay closer attention to the lyrics.
My interpretation:
After some research I found out I was right... Even Ed Sheeran admitted in an interview that...
"She's in the Class A Team / Stuck in her daydreams / Been this way since eighteen"
is referring to the class a drugs.. cocaine, heroine.
"And go mad for a couple grams / And she don't want to go outside, tonight / And in a pipe she flies to the motherland / and sells love to another man / it's too cold outside / for angels to fly"
This girl, or "angel"sells her body to "pay rent." The pipe is again referring back to drugs.. prostitute.. I'm not sure about what he means about angel.. Is she an angel deep down just wanting to escape this life style? I'm sure any girl would...
"But lately her face seems / slowly sinking, wasting / crumbling like pastries"
I think this poor girl is slowly dying, literally. The drugs (depression too, maybe?) and the lifestyle are taking a toll... the last line confirms it.
"For angels to fly, to fly, to fly. / For angels to die."
Take a look at the lyrics or just listen to the song and tell me what you think!
"White lips, pale face
Breathing in snowflakes
Burnt lungs, sour taste.
Lights gone, days end.
Struggling to pay rent
Long nights, strange men
And they say
She's in the class a team
Stuck in her daydream
Been this way since eighteen
But lately her face seems
Slowly sinking, wasting
Crumbling like pastries
And they scream
The worst things in life come free to us
Cause we're just under the upper hand
And go mad for a couple grams
And she don't want to go outside, tonight
And in a pipe she flies to the motherland
And makes love to another man
It's too cold outside
For angels to fly, for angels to fly
Ripped gloves, raincoat
Tried to swim and stay afloat
Dry house, wet coat
Loose change, bank note
Weary-eyed, dry throat
Call girl, no phone
And they say
She's in the class a team
Stuck in her daydream
Been this way since eighteen
But lately her face seems
Slowly sinking, wasting
Crumbling like pastries
And they scream
The worst things in life come free to us
Cause we're just under the upper hand
And go mad for a couple grams
And she don't want to go outside, tonight
And in a pipe she flies to the motherland
And makes love to another man
It's too cold outside
For angels to fly
An angel will die
Covered in white
Closed eye
And hoping for a better life
This time we'll fade out tonight
Straight down the line
And they say
She's in the class a team
Stuck in her daydream
Been this way since eighteen
But lately her face seems
Slowly sinking, wasting
Crumbling like pastries
And they scream
The worst things in life come free to us
Cause we're just under the upper hand
And go mad for a couple grams
And she don't want to go outside, tonight
And in a pipe she flies to the motherland
And makes love to another man
It's too cold outside
For angels to fly, angels to fly
To fly, fly
For angels to fly, to fly, to fly
Angels to die"
I don't do drugs or support them in any form.. but I think I'd rather listen to this song than the ones that are popular nowadays. *cough cough* Pitbull. Am I the only one hating the lyrics of today's pop songs? The majority of the songs revolve around dances, sex and getting drunk. Not only are they all the same with only a little change of beat, but they're an awful influence! I don't want my little sisters listening to that junk! The lyrics are disgusting, repetitive and annoying. Need examples?
I google'd "2012 top 100 songs"
1. Thrift Shop by Macklemore - don't even know what to say here. It's catchy. Is he saying that we don't need to judge others by their appearance? That it's stupid to spend a huge amount of money on clothes and spend money more wisely? I prob over analyzing this one...
And what is up with the sudden obsession of Macklemore? Or is that just my high school?
2. When I Was Your Man by Bruno Mars - You keep on writing those love songs dawg.
3. Suit & Tie by Justin Timberlake - sex and dancing
I could go on and on.. maybe it's just me haha. Bring back the old Beatles love songs! Let's dance to some weird Florence + the Machine songs haha. Where did the good music go?
River Flows in You by Yiruma - This is my all time favorite song. Go into my itunes and it's played almost a thousand times.. and that's with this new itunes haha. And I can't help but cry every single time it comes on.
See You When I See You by Jason Aldean - My favorite country singer and the best lyrics I've ever heard. Country isn't always about losing you dog, a broken down truck and drinkin' beer haha!
I was roaming Youtube one lovely evening and came across this talented fellow-Preston Leatherman. I immediately fell in love with all his videos.. and.. texted my best friend, Skye. Then I continued and watched every single one of his videos. I liked most of them, shared some, and followed him on Twitter. I am now preparing the wedding. What girl doesn't want a funny, good looking guy that can sing? Ladies, I got dibs.
I was recently creeping through one of my favorite blogs our there.. and came upon 10 Facts About My Sleeping Habits. I shall accept the challenge and also share my odd sleeping habits LOL.
1. Before I head off to bed I always unfold my bed in a certain method. The comforter must be folded neatly at the foot of my bed so all I have to do in the morning is pull it back up. I am a firm believer of folding your bed everyday. I think I'd rather skip breakfast than not fold it. Pet Peeve.
2. I know I'm 17 years old, but I cannot fall asleep facing my closet door. I'm afraid something will come out and kill me. I know. I know.
3. My pillows need to be small or my neck will hurt. The big, fluffy ones are too much for this girl. I prefer the older ones.
4. I have to sleep with socks on in the winter. I can't stand my feet touching my legs. They're so cold.
5. Like many others, I set my alarm early so I can sleep a little more and still be on time.
I can't think of others..this is kind of awkward.. so here's a good song to lighten up the mood.
