glass half-full, watch my eyes ...
Life is so great. I almost feel guilty because I'm so happy. Like, wow ... Do I deserve to have such an amazing life with so much joy? I hope so. I am so blessed!
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Don't Stop Believin' ...
I know that it's superficial and unrealistic to idolize celebrities, however, I can't help but yearn to one day share some common attributes with a few of my favorites. Here are my top 5 (of right now) and why I love them. I realize that each of these people have less than desirable qualities or aspects that may seem contradictory to something I'm praising another one for, but that's the point, isn't it? If they were everything wonderful, I'd want to be just like them! Instead, I'd rather be Kayla Lane and aspire toward the same achievements as the following celebrated peoples.
In no particular order, my celebrity role-models:
1>>> Diablo Cody

Why I love her: Diablo Cody is one of few highly-recognized female screen writers. Her script, "Juno", was off-beat, quirky and absolutely true to Diablo's voice as a writer and personality. She has a great sense of humor in her scripts and her editorials and her interviews. "Juno" was well-written, and was critically acclaimed despite the odds -- and throughout all the celebrity buzz, Daiblo Cody has remained her same old, imperfect, slightly tawdry self. (Plus, I love animal print and red lipstick!)
2>>> Angelina Jolie

Yes, she's gorgeous. Yes, she's married to Brad Pitt. Yes, she makes great movies. But besides all that, what make Angelina Jolie a knockout for me is her commitment to utilizing her celebrity status as a launching pad for humanitarian work. She donates so much of her time and money to global relief without becoming an angry-clove-burning-guilt-tripping-riot-starting belligerent that greatly annoys me. She just seems to possess herself with an overwhelming amount of peace and decorum. Plus, I admire her huge family and penchant for global adoptions. Even when I was in elementary school, I always wanted to adopt children from around the planet. I would buy Cabbage Patch kids in all different colors and ethnicity. That menagerie was my idea of a perfect family, and it still is. Angelina devotes so much time to her children; I believe her to be a very excellent mother.
3>>>> Johnny Depp

No, I am not merely a fan girl who has only seen Pirates as well as Edward Scissorhands (to get me some street cred, right?) and claims that Johnny Depp is my favorite actor ever. I've seen 16 of his movies, and not just because he's amazingly gorgeous. Johnny Depp is great because right from the get-go he decided that he did not want to be a teen heart throb. He ditched Jump Street and chased roles that were quirky and creepy and a little uncomfortable. He never did the same thing twice, and he always stayed true to himself. He creates a character in such a way that an audience can not even imagine any other actor in the same role, or even break away from the illusion long enough to remember that the character's are not real, only figments of a talented artist. His career is steady and full on longevity. Johnny knows who to network with, has made some good friends like Tim Burton. The pair have acquired a symbiotic relationship of sorts. He is the muse to Burton's artistry. Johnny Depp is unabashedly himself, dresses in kitschy yet classy attire, and never fails to impress me with his art.
4>>>> Kate Winslet

Once again, the Angelina Jolie curse: Yes, she is gorgeous. Yes, she is talented. Yes, she is famous. But what else? Kate Winslet is a wonderful representation of the beautiful, curvy woman. She has always openly opposed Hollywood's standard of rail-thin beauty and has fought the press against airbrushing her photos to make her appear slimmer. She refuses to lose weight, and still looks gorgeous despite all the hell from critical press. Kate is so proud of her womanly curves that she even shot a nude scene for a film, free of fancy lighting, expertly placed bedsheets, or even Brazillian bare grooming. ... And she still looked fabulous. I must say, I am also very partial to Kate for she did play the starring role in my favorite (or maybe second favorite) movie of all time, The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Her talent and her curves and her "fuck you, Barbie!" attitude make Kate Winslet one of my favorite celebrities.
5>>>>> Tina Fey

Oh Tina Fey, how I love thee. She really is quite stellar. Absolutely articulate, witty, and bright with dashing good looks in a snazzy nerdy way that makes all the intellectual girls say yay! She started in improv (probably the most fun a human being can have on stage) and worked her way up as the FIRST head-writer of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. Ever. And that show has been around forever! Then she moved on to being a regular cast member, and basically shining as the crown jewel of the show. She departed to write and star in her own smart sitcom (oxymoron, right?) and in now highly successful despite not fitting the typical Hollywood mold. I love Tina Fey.
So where does that leave me? Basically, in a hodge podge of goals and aspirations that I wish to achieve and ways in which I wish to live my life. I hope I don't appear to be a stupid girl who's obsessed with celebrity. It's not about these people being famous. They just happen to each personify bits and pieces of my overall goal of living a life I've imagined. Sometimes it's helpful for me to see it manifested in someone else to know that I can achieve the same things.
>>>> Kayla Lane
Kayla Lane will be a highly successful writer, actress, and humanitarian. I will be a role-model for realistic body images in Hollywood, and definitely rock the Geek chic with my thick rimmed purple glasses and intellectual aura. I will be compassionate and generous with my time and wealth. I will travel the world and force open the eyes of people who would rather turn away from global tragedy. I will write screenplays of dark comedy, and Kafka-esque romance and political satire. I will never play the same role twice, and I'll make sure that women start to get a fair shake in Hollywood. Girls will no longer have to play only the damsels or the gossip girls. I'll write the roles that mainstream directors won't want to touch, but when they take a chance on me -- you might just be surprised. Maybe one day I'll be recognized for my work in writing and acting, and maybe one day I won't. Maybe I'll have a small loyal fan base, and maybe that will be all. I know that I'll be happy, as long as I keep chasing these dreams. Kayla Lane will be quirky, inspiring, witty, curvy, strong, inspirational, generous, talented, unique, entertaining, humble, compassionate, hilarious, intellectual, hard-working, successful, peaceful, and happy.
In no particular order, my celebrity role-models:
1>>> Diablo Cody

Why I love her: Diablo Cody is one of few highly-recognized female screen writers. Her script, "Juno", was off-beat, quirky and absolutely true to Diablo's voice as a writer and personality. She has a great sense of humor in her scripts and her editorials and her interviews. "Juno" was well-written, and was critically acclaimed despite the odds -- and throughout all the celebrity buzz, Daiblo Cody has remained her same old, imperfect, slightly tawdry self. (Plus, I love animal print and red lipstick!)
2>>> Angelina Jolie

Yes, she's gorgeous. Yes, she's married to Brad Pitt. Yes, she makes great movies. But besides all that, what make Angelina Jolie a knockout for me is her commitment to utilizing her celebrity status as a launching pad for humanitarian work. She donates so much of her time and money to global relief without becoming an angry-clove-burning-guilt-tripping-riot-starting belligerent that greatly annoys me. She just seems to possess herself with an overwhelming amount of peace and decorum. Plus, I admire her huge family and penchant for global adoptions. Even when I was in elementary school, I always wanted to adopt children from around the planet. I would buy Cabbage Patch kids in all different colors and ethnicity. That menagerie was my idea of a perfect family, and it still is. Angelina devotes so much time to her children; I believe her to be a very excellent mother.
3>>>> Johnny Depp

No, I am not merely a fan girl who has only seen Pirates as well as Edward Scissorhands (to get me some street cred, right?) and claims that Johnny Depp is my favorite actor ever. I've seen 16 of his movies, and not just because he's amazingly gorgeous. Johnny Depp is great because right from the get-go he decided that he did not want to be a teen heart throb. He ditched Jump Street and chased roles that were quirky and creepy and a little uncomfortable. He never did the same thing twice, and he always stayed true to himself. He creates a character in such a way that an audience can not even imagine any other actor in the same role, or even break away from the illusion long enough to remember that the character's are not real, only figments of a talented artist. His career is steady and full on longevity. Johnny knows who to network with, has made some good friends like Tim Burton. The pair have acquired a symbiotic relationship of sorts. He is the muse to Burton's artistry. Johnny Depp is unabashedly himself, dresses in kitschy yet classy attire, and never fails to impress me with his art.
4>>>> Kate Winslet

Once again, the Angelina Jolie curse: Yes, she is gorgeous. Yes, she is talented. Yes, she is famous. But what else? Kate Winslet is a wonderful representation of the beautiful, curvy woman. She has always openly opposed Hollywood's standard of rail-thin beauty and has fought the press against airbrushing her photos to make her appear slimmer. She refuses to lose weight, and still looks gorgeous despite all the hell from critical press. Kate is so proud of her womanly curves that she even shot a nude scene for a film, free of fancy lighting, expertly placed bedsheets, or even Brazillian bare grooming. ... And she still looked fabulous. I must say, I am also very partial to Kate for she did play the starring role in my favorite (or maybe second favorite) movie of all time, The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Her talent and her curves and her "fuck you, Barbie!" attitude make Kate Winslet one of my favorite celebrities.
5>>>>> Tina Fey

Oh Tina Fey, how I love thee. She really is quite stellar. Absolutely articulate, witty, and bright with dashing good looks in a snazzy nerdy way that makes all the intellectual girls say yay! She started in improv (probably the most fun a human being can have on stage) and worked her way up as the FIRST head-writer of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. Ever. And that show has been around forever! Then she moved on to being a regular cast member, and basically shining as the crown jewel of the show. She departed to write and star in her own smart sitcom (oxymoron, right?) and in now highly successful despite not fitting the typical Hollywood mold. I love Tina Fey.
So where does that leave me? Basically, in a hodge podge of goals and aspirations that I wish to achieve and ways in which I wish to live my life. I hope I don't appear to be a stupid girl who's obsessed with celebrity. It's not about these people being famous. They just happen to each personify bits and pieces of my overall goal of living a life I've imagined. Sometimes it's helpful for me to see it manifested in someone else to know that I can achieve the same things.
>>>> Kayla Lane
Kayla Lane will be a highly successful writer, actress, and humanitarian. I will be a role-model for realistic body images in Hollywood, and definitely rock the Geek chic with my thick rimmed purple glasses and intellectual aura. I will be compassionate and generous with my time and wealth. I will travel the world and force open the eyes of people who would rather turn away from global tragedy. I will write screenplays of dark comedy, and Kafka-esque romance and political satire. I will never play the same role twice, and I'll make sure that women start to get a fair shake in Hollywood. Girls will no longer have to play only the damsels or the gossip girls. I'll write the roles that mainstream directors won't want to touch, but when they take a chance on me -- you might just be surprised. Maybe one day I'll be recognized for my work in writing and acting, and maybe one day I won't. Maybe I'll have a small loyal fan base, and maybe that will be all. I know that I'll be happy, as long as I keep chasing these dreams. Kayla Lane will be quirky, inspiring, witty, curvy, strong, inspirational, generous, talented, unique, entertaining, humble, compassionate, hilarious, intellectual, hard-working, successful, peaceful, and happy.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Comments on Desastreville!
I know I need to do a real update, but I've been pre-occupied with doing real-life things. Here are some comments I left on Dayna's website that I think are a pretty good snippet of my life right now:
"Despite everything, I love my city because I've seen it grow. And yes, I see that may be negative with the killing of trees and failure of businesses and whatnot, but I think change whether positive or negative is fascinating regardless. I like that my city holds memories of really great people and really fun times and an overall really fun adolescence. I realize that I'm on the final "bonus round" of time in this "city" of the DFW suburbs, but I think I'm able to most appreciate it that way. I know I'm leaving in less than a year, and I am way excited for that! But I can't forget all the great memories this little chunk of conformist close-minded suburban wasteland has given me. I love you and I am so happy that you're so happy. "
"I didn’t know it was world peace day until 42 minutes before it was over, but I felt it. I was very much at peace today. I woke up very late, but did not feel as if I had wasted the day. I felt so healthy and grateful for life. I ate wonderful yummy fairly nutritious food, I went shopping with mom. I made a beautiful craft for my friend and I made beautiful pages for my scrapbook that celebrate my friends. I am writing to you, and that makes me feel happy. I am listening to Voxtrot and that makes me feel nice as well. My life is so peaceful lately. I am content most of the time. I miss you, but that perhaps may be my only grievance right now. Call me sometime, please. It would mean so much to me. I love you!"
Life is good. Love each other. Love yourself!
"Despite everything, I love my city because I've seen it grow. And yes, I see that may be negative with the killing of trees and failure of businesses and whatnot, but I think change whether positive or negative is fascinating regardless. I like that my city holds memories of really great people and really fun times and an overall really fun adolescence. I realize that I'm on the final "bonus round" of time in this "city" of the DFW suburbs, but I think I'm able to most appreciate it that way. I know I'm leaving in less than a year, and I am way excited for that! But I can't forget all the great memories this little chunk of conformist close-minded suburban wasteland has given me. I love you and I am so happy that you're so happy. "
"I didn’t know it was world peace day until 42 minutes before it was over, but I felt it. I was very much at peace today. I woke up very late, but did not feel as if I had wasted the day. I felt so healthy and grateful for life. I ate wonderful yummy fairly nutritious food, I went shopping with mom. I made a beautiful craft for my friend and I made beautiful pages for my scrapbook that celebrate my friends. I am writing to you, and that makes me feel happy. I am listening to Voxtrot and that makes me feel nice as well. My life is so peaceful lately. I am content most of the time. I miss you, but that perhaps may be my only grievance right now. Call me sometime, please. It would mean so much to me. I love you!"
Life is good. Love each other. Love yourself!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
It's hard to leave all those moments behind
Senior year thus far has been a whirlwind of activity. Sharma is an amazing English teacher, Onen is precious, theatre is insanely busy and I'm having a lot of fun with my social life. Friday was Theatre's first ethnic food friday of the year, and I LOVE "Tu Hai". Very yummy and very inexpensive. After we watched Kill Bill at Steve's house. I'm proud of her this year already. She's done an awesome job of being an active and optimistic participant in life instead of the routine of observing and lamenting. I think Junior year took a toll of her morale ... but it's okay because it's over now! Saturday I went salsa dancing with the show choir and tonight I went to Karaoke night at the local coffee house. I have rehearsals and baby sitting tomorrow and performances all this weekend. Whoo! Homework has not been too unmanageable and "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron is going to be something great, I can just tell. I've been working on sorting out some of my ideas, and the last time Steve and I went to Starbucks I pretty much dictated the whole plot of my business-man-pin-up-girl-thelma-and-louise-story. Yeah ... it's strange. But talking through an idea always helps me out a whole lot more than trying to flesh it out on the page right off the bat. Oh ... I almost forgot, I made Homecoming court? ... weird. I'm not the popular/cheerleader/homecoming type. Mr. Williamson says (in his hippie trippy drama teacher way)in response to my bewilderment to success in a popularity contest: "People like you because you're a good person ... you're special and you're just you." 'Twas a nice compliment. I try to be kind to everyone and I don't pay much attention to social classes or any of that, so I guess it feels sort of nice to have the quirky Underdog represented on the Homecoming court in suburban Texas. haha ... I'm so tired and I have to get up early tomorrow and wait in line for a parking permit as well as finish my French homework and study my lines for "Here I Am". Theatre is overwhelming this year with all the projects already. My-oh-my. Here are some pictures:

Salsa Dancing. It's hard to see me but I'm on the right, behind the two boys in front.

Tu Hai!

After Ethnic Food Friday and most people left Steve's. Just making funny faces with the boys.

Anna and I pose with the kids table as we await karaoke!

Her name is Chloe and she's a second grade cowgirl who sings a mean karaoke!

I am loved. =]
[Title from The Shins' "Kissing the Lipless"]

Salsa Dancing. It's hard to see me but I'm on the right, behind the two boys in front.

Tu Hai!

After Ethnic Food Friday and most people left Steve's. Just making funny faces with the boys.

Anna and I pose with the kids table as we await karaoke!

Her name is Chloe and she's a second grade cowgirl who sings a mean karaoke!

I am loved. =]
[Title from The Shins' "Kissing the Lipless"]
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