I want to be a starship ranger!

"I'll kick down the walls around me they don't know how strong I am. 

I'm not defined by boundaries,t

hey could never understand 

I'm so much more than status quo"

At the  Starship  screening at LA with Brian Holden, Nick Lang, Brant Cox and Umbridge Joe Walker.

Staying up late procrastinating? Not winning.

If I could major in pop culture & procrastination, I would. And I'd be so good at it I'd graduate with top honors.

I have two tests this Thursday, and what else am I doing late at night than prancing my time away on Tumblr? Typical Steph is typical. And now I am here, writing to you blogger. See? I must pull myself together and stop acting like a tween.

BUT I CAN'T. Not after tonight's episode of Glee, which in all honesty, was not the best, but had redeeming moments (I'm looking at you Klaine & Brittana). Goodness knows I should get paid to watch all the tv shows, but alas I don't believe I have the snark to write about them. Note to self: must develop snark and become snarky and reply with snarky comments.

Next week I have two college apps left to submit: LMU & Chapman. I'm quite excited/ nervous because these are my top 2 choices, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to write another version of the essays since I've yet to feel satisfied with previous versions.

Well then, it's late but I'm off to finish some online lectures for a class..because that's what scholars do. THEY STAY UP LATE LIKE A BOSS DOING HOMEWORK.

February Mixtape

The upside to having a car is that you can listen to whatever you like, however loud you want ( guy looking at me outside, keep walking). Recently I've been annoyed with the music radio stations have been playing. I can only put my hands up in the air for "Dynamite" so many times, and Lady GaGa's "Born this Way" is almost never played on my way to class.  If only I had a snazzy jazzy car where I would just dock my iPod, but alas the aging CD saves my sanity. These are the songs I'm rocking out to this February. If you drive by and you see a girl clapping along and recreating "A Very Potter Musical" at the stop light, don't be afraid, I won't stupefy you! (maybe a jelly-legs jinx though, just for a kick)

1. Baby You're A Rich Man - The Beatles: I can't not listen to this song without thinking of the brilliance that is "The Social Network", mind you it's a catchy tune that makes you feel like you're serenading Jesse Eisenberg's Mark Zuckerberg.

2. The Glee/Darren Effect:  Take any song, let a bunch of adorable sexy men sing it with nice harmony arrangements and it's a hit, no matter how terrible the song may be. (Having Harry Freakin' Potter sing lead is also a plus. Good job Glee!)

1. Silly Love Songs - The Dalton Warblers: The perfect Valentine's day song, and I'm not talking about the lyrics (ok, they lyrics are pretty adorbs) but really, it's like Darren is serenading you. Heck. YES.
2. When I Get You Alone - The Dalton Warblers: Just watch the video. No seriously, DO IT.
3. Bills Bills Bills - The Dalton Warblers: Oy, this sweet voiced man wants us to pay his bills. Consider it done Mr. Dapper sir.
4. Thriller/Head Will Roll - Glee Cast: I was skeptical of this mashup when I saw the preview, but who would have thought the king of pop's anthem and the Yeah Yeah Yeah's single would totally make me grooving? Perfect workout song.

3. Born This Way - Lady GaGa: Don't be a drag, just be a queen.

4. Misery - Maroon 5: Bringing this one back from the dead. I'm not fond of Adam Levine, but goodness this tune makes me (whats the word?) shuffle? You know when you're feet start to do weird dance moves and you feel all boss. Yeah (Plus, there is nobody who can comfort me. Maybe because  I don't know what a shuffle is).

5. Broadway Baby: Did you really think I'd have no showtunes? PUH-LEASE

1. Donna - Hair: Singing along with Will Swenson's voice and you know I'm re-creating the choreography.  
2. Hare Krishna/Be-In - Hair: Never thought I'd love this song so much, but after seeing the show, I LOVED it! The choreography, the music, the catchy tune, the lights! 
3. The Saddest Song - Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson: You have no idea how much I regret that I never got to see this show. Love it, love this song. It's so full of energy and you just fall in love with Ben Walker.

6. Harry Freakin' Potter - A Very Potter Sequel: I'm transported to Hogwarts, until I remember a bunch of UMich college students produced this... Then I'm transported to UMich. They're pretty much the same thing. Oh, and did I mention Darren Criss wrote the music & lyrics? What a boss.

7. No Way - A Very Potter Sequel: The song that started it all. (Well, my Darren Criss crush). You can't hear this song and not feel like a hero. And how hot does the fab Mr. Criss sound? Did I mention he wrote the music? Yeah. Break out your mad eyes, cause this song will have you jamming and rocking all. night. long.

Everything is perfect and nothing hurts.

Still on winter break, still waking up late, still obsessed with A Very Potter Musical, and still waiting for my letter to Hogwarts (ahem, Dumbledore!)

Alas, a few days ago the cyberweb exploded with news that the very dapper Darren Criss was to be on the cover of Entertainment Weekly. Lo' and behold I get my copy, which thus leads to the obligatory photobooth picture. Like a boss.

Proud mama feelings abound when I see D.Criss on thy cover. Why, it wasn't long ago when he was just a typical UMich student doing parodies of Harry Potter.

After a day of re-reading another HP book (Azkaban, to be exact), eating tons on dark chocolate (take note, it's the perfect bday gift..wink!) I'm off to get most of what I can these last few days before classes resume. Not to mention waiting for college acceptance letters. TORTURE.

Hmm..What to watch? ;)

A film about stuttering? I know it all too well...

"The King's Speech" is a film that stars Colin Firth and is realized on December 10, 2010. That's as much as I knew until a few hours ago, but then the LA Times tweeted a link to this article. I'm not sure what made me click it, but alas I did. Only reading the first few lines of the article, I searched for the trailer. I ended up in tears.

Few of you may know about my struggle with stuttering. I haven't told many people, but if you've talked to me before, I'm sure you've noticed my stammer. It's something that I can't describe when I'm telling my parents, how can I express how difficult it is for me? Not just speaking, but emotionally? Don't get me wrong, I've told them, but I don't think they grasp exactly how much of a trouble it is. 

Seeing Colin Firth convey the exact expressions and emotions was only too clear to me. Seeing his performance was like looking through a mirror. That was me. No.. That IS me. 

Zoom to the part where he cries "I have a voice!" to Geoffrey Rush's character. That did it. The tears waiting to be released came out in a flood. It's not an exaggeration, I know this all too well, as I'm sure many others who have or currently are struggling with this speech deficit will be able to identify. Not only are our voices lost with our incomprehensible speech, but in our emotions. Feeling lost.

I'm excited for this film and the buzz it's garnering, as I hope it does well in awards season. I can't wait to drag my parents along so they can experience and properly be shown what I've gone through these past years. It's overwhelming to finally see my story on film.

(...except for that whole being a king part, & being married.)

Am I in heaven?

Went to Costco and hundreds of Jodi Picoult books were stacked up, waiting for me to 

buy them all and re-read them

(If you didn't know, I love Picoult's books.)

Can't wait till Winter break starts so I can start to read her latest novel House Rules. 

UC apps, Harry Potter and.. Oh yeah, the Doctor!

This is the time I should be using to write my UC personal statements (which I totally will after I finish writing this, watch more Garfield & Eisenberg interviews, Harry Potter interviews and watch this week's Glee and 30 Rock.)

Hmm.. funny how when you write it out it seems like a completely bad idea, but it sounds ok in your head. Damn.

Thursday night I attended the midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (dressed up as a fellow Gryffindor, robe and all), and it  was FANTASTIC. I'm not embarrassed to admit that I was totally like this:

I'm sure many people hold Harry Potter in their heart. It was my childhood, it's what made me fall in love with reading and my imagination went crazy with this wonderful world JK Rowling created. During middle school I was bullied (but when was I not) about my weight, and Harry Potter is what kept me strong. (FYI I used to believe I was a wizard!)

Zoom to present day Steph and I still believe in some sort of magic. Well, HE is magical (and by he, I mean the Doctor). He's not real, I know that, but I'd love for him to come and ask me to travel with him in his TARDIS (I guess I'll always be a kid at heart). I'm sure I'd be scared as hell, but I'd know the doctor (Matt Smith I'm looking at you) would save me, and give me the tender kisses he gives Amy to reassure her (I'm talking about series 5 ep.3 for all you Whovians).

A few days ago, BBC America announced that they will air the Doctor Who Christmas special

  ON CHRISTMAS DAY at 9 p.m.

At first I was like..........

and then I was like....

... after it hit me that I'd be watching freaking Doctor Who on Christmas Day, just like all the British folks.

Oh snap, it's late. Ok, skipping the whole watching TV and just diving into my UC personal statement. Priorities.

Jesse Eisenberg + Andrew Garfield = EISENFIELD.

If you haven't heard of Jesse Eisenberg or Andrew Garfield I advise you to run to your nearest movie theater and watch The Social Network.

 Seriously. Run. NOW.

These two people are the most unbelievable men ever. You know how I was obsessed with Tveit? Not any more, my fangirl devotion now resides in the British and awkward folk. Jesse  Eisenberg seems like my kind of guy. The guy that makes awkward comments that are totally funny but only with his select group of friends (that I would totally belong to), and he'd always have an intricate explanation for the simplest of things. Sports? Nah. This guy is old school. Or, as Tessa says: "Jesse Eisenberg: The ultimate pin-up for nerdy, shy college girls."

Andrew Garfield is Bambi.

That is common knowledge. Accept it.

So you might be wondering (as I myself do) "what is so special about these pretty boy celebrities?" Answer: Everything. I can't explain it, it's not tangible.. it just is.

It's sorta like this: Everyone (huge generalization here, but accept it) in Hollywood is fake and not genuine. These two guys? Completely genuine. Their interviews exudes levels of major awkwardness.

Maybe that's why I love them. They are my awkward heroes (doesn't make sense, don't accept it). It's so refreshing to see people not conform to the Hollywood stereotype, and frankly I am beyond stoked for award season, where they'll show their uber  awesomeness to the world [and also get nominated for Academy Awards (they are THAT good)].

Ugh. Is this how it feels to be in love with a celebrity?

Andrew Garfield is rich in soul.

.....but always asks to borrow money.

Hipsta Steph

ok, I'm not a hipster. but my hipstamatic prints are!

Ever since I acquired Claude (my iPhone. duh.) I've been hooked on the Hipstamatic app. It gives your photos an awesome coloring, and you have an array of film, lens and flashes to choose from.

I'm in love with it. So much that I even created a photoblog solely for it.

yeah. THAT much.

In The Heights, Glee, Rent, SUMMER.

Oh boy, where have I been?

I've disappeared from the blogosphere (but you could have still found me tweeting!)

So what's happened since my last entry? 

• I went and saw the  Glee tour! yipee!
• In The Heights. Met Lin Manuel Miranda. Nuff' said.
• and all the the crazy shenanigans i've been getting into.

I guess I've just been lazy to post  -insert audible gasp here-. But summer is still young and there's plenty more to come (hey look, that rhymes!). Bring it.

The GLEE tour was awesome, filled with energy and fun and special appearances from hot boys like Jonathan Groff. I think that itself was worth the price of admission (well that and seeing Cory Monteith, who is beyond goofy adorable).

Hi my name is Lin Miranda,  well no, but that is Lin Manuel Miranda standing right next to me.

I could go on and write how much it meant for me to see the show, and meeting Lin, but I won't, not just because I'm not even sure if I can compose all my thoughts, but I know that my experience with "In The Heights" is shared by so many of us. Maybe it's a different show or event, but it's something we hold so close to our heart (cliche! eek! but I assure you I mean it) and I know you know what I experienced.

Adios! I'm off to to do what I always do (well, not really. but it sounds good) :
 catch up on my tv. (PLL anyone?)

(ps. what is up with all the parenthesis? I'm hooked!)

Sea lions, Sharks and Jellyfish -Oh My!

Guess where I went today? The aquarium! I had forgotten how much fun aquariums can be! We were allowed to touch sharks, and manta rays,  but I didn't because I was afraid. The funny thing was that there were school children all over, without a fear in their head. Well, that's a new low :(

Later, we ate lunch alongside the beach, which is always fun. We jammed to Lady GaGa & Katy Perry as we ate, and of course, I played some Hair as well! It only seemed fair that I let the sunshine in :)

Days like these make me really anxious for Summer. Only a few more weeks, and loads of finals to go through with till I'm free. Ugh. Oh well, at least I have the Glee concert to look forward to next week :)

A High School performance of "Roses Turn"... FIERCE

If you read the theater blogosphere like I do, then yo've already heard about Hannah DeFlumeri's "Rose's Turn". If you haven't, let me tell you, she's PHENOMENAL. She's only in HS, and she'll be attending Ithaca College next year. Can you say Broadway career? We all know the notable Broadway Alumni that Ithaca has, and this girl won't disappoint.

She gives a noteworthy performance as Rose (based on the videos on her YouTube page), and her acting is outrageous (in a very good way). The girl has pipes. The girl has talent. Why am I amazed by her talent? Simple. Most High School performers don't give this type of outstanding performances. She's in HS, portraying Rose!!! Get the picture? :)

Can you imagine how much better she'll be after Ithaca?

You're going to see this girl on Broadway. Just wait and see...

I'm on cloud 9.. nothing can bring me down

... well, maybe that 10 pg. essay that's due next week. But other than that,
 I'm defying gravity!

So by now, you probably have all heard that Skylar Astin has been cast as Mark, with Aaron Tveit as Roger in this Summer's production of Rent at the Hollywood Bowl . You probably have read my crazy tweets. And you probably already know how much I adore Aaron and Skylar (no, not you Vanessa). So yeah, I'm a little ecstatic at this piece of news. Will I be seeing the show? heck yeah.

My mind cannot comprehend that I'll finally be seeing Aaron and Skylar, or that Vanessa Hudgens will be playing Mimi opposite Tveit's Roger. But I wont talk about that...yet. I'm not gonna let it ruin my buzz, and I'm going to give her a chance (why, isn't that so sweet of me?). 

Can you imagine Tveit singing "One Song Glory"? 

Or how about Skylar rocking out to "La Vie Boheme"?

Hmm.. Tveit and Skylar belting out "What You Own"....

 Fierce.

So my fellow readers, expect a full review, videos, and pictures from me come this August (and May! I'll be attending the Glee Tour as well!)

It's times like these that I love living in LA :)

Ok, it is true...

... I have a crush on Anderson Cooper

I can't help it. Those mesmerizing blue eyes,  that salt and pepper hair. Ladies, Am I right? A little while ago on formspring, a close friend of mine asked me if I had a thing for him. I guess my constant tweets about watching AC 360 gave it away. But, I'm not the only one who adores AC, Kelly Ripa is a fan of him as well. Their chemistry together is AMAZING. You want to have a good time and laugh? Watch these videos, they wont disappoint!

Kelly lusts out loud for AC... She has no shame.

Skip to 2:44. Probably one of my favorite AC/Kelly videos ever.

 AC tries Coke Blak.. hmm, not so good AC?

Sometimes, you just need some inspiration..

Early in the day I was feeling a little down, fed up with all the crap that people have said. While making my way through the web I found these images. They made me smile, and they reminded me some pretty important stuff :)

It's easy for people to put you down.

But we cant succumb to their words. Don't give a damn.

keep on going.

This Week Has Been Hell-O

Seriously. If you follow me on twitter you probably know half the story. Me and my english paper. That monster has called havoc in my life, although I know it's completely my fault for procrastinating. Another bad thing? I wanted to record a video for Next to Normal's youtube mashup, but a friend of mine can't seem to make time to hang out and film it. And I totally understand, without a license it's hard to get anywhere.

Thank goodness I got my license.

But it hasn't just been hell. No, I also welcomed back Glee into my tv schedule. As much as I enjoy the show, I find it weak in prominent places (umm, like the writing?). Oh, and please stop with the autotune! The majority of those actors are talented enough to not need it (no, not you Santana).


But the best part of my week?  Jon Groff was on my TV screen. Oh, how I smiled like a fangirl when he popped up behind that Lionel Richie songbook.

You see that smile? That infectious smile of his is what causes all the fangirls to go crazy, as well as curing cancer. Personally, I enjoy hearing his dulcet tones and seeing that curly hair of his. I like the bad boy persona he's playing in Glee. Bring it on.


And now this post has turned into a J.Groff love thread. What can I say? #IKnewJonGroffFirst

Broadway Ringtones

My first Broadway ringtone was the green girl anthem "Defying Gravity". It started right at the "It's MEEEE!!!" , sometimes I'd welcome it when I wanted a call, other times I'd tell myself why in the world did I choose that section to start with. It was loud and obnoxious, and yet I kept it. 

I tend to choose ringtones based on whatever I'm obsessed with at the moment. Spring Awakening, In the Heights, Legally Blonde and [Title of Show] have had their fair share of usage. Currently, my phone rings to the theme from The Office. While trying to choose the next song to choose, it occurred to me how difficult it is to choose your next ringtone. Should it be from Next to Normal or Hair? or maybe I should stick to TV themes and use 30 Rock's?

Memorable moments have came out of my ringtones, like when a lady at the supermarket looked at me all weird when my Defying Gravity ringtone came on. Or when "Blackout" started playing, and a friend literally looked at me and said "Where's the blackout? We're outside!"Sometimes, it can be more discreet, such as when I was standing in line, waiting to pay for some chips, I get a call (this time, it's The Office theme), and as I'm looking for my phone, I glance up and I notice a guy looking at me, grinning and says "So you're an Office fan?"

My ringtones represent who I am, what I love. Although I really love 30 Rock, I decided to choose "I Got Life" for my next ringtone. Why? Simple. With it's infectious tune, and simple yet subtle message, it's the perfect song to make you eager for that phone call/conversation. It's FUN.

So what about you guys? I'd love to hear your choices for ringtones or some stories!

Forget House, or all those other dramas, just Lie To Me

So you all know I love TV, but i'm not fond of dramas like House, Law and Order or any other show like them (although I do occasionally watch The Mentalist just to see Simon Baker).

So, I was skeptical when my Speech proffesor showed us an episode of Lie to Me. But in the end, I ended up LOVING it! It's a great show mainly about microexpressions.

Watch it. It's so, so good!

Say Hello To A New Hair Tribe Member, Cailan Rose!

If you haven't seen the new Hair tribe, then you've seen her on the gargantuan poster on Times Square. Or maybe you were trying to get a taxi cab, and you noticed her on the Ad. Or you were mindlessly walking through Shubert Alley, and you notice the same advertisement, with, yes, her in it.
   
She's none other than Cailan Rose, one of the various new members of the hit Broadway show, Hair. Not only is she on Broadway, but she's 19 (one year older than I) AND she balances work with college. Please tell me I'm not the only one jealous of her, she's living the dream!

Cailan was able to make time  from her schedule and midterms   to answer our questions. Thanks Cailan!

Where Do I Go (to college)?

Lately my dreams have been lacking unicorns and rainbows. Instead, they've been infested with the daunting thought of (wait for it) college applications. Where will I go? Who will accept me? Who will I live with, what will I be studying? (Ok the last one is easy: Communication)

Applications start in November, and although that seems far away, that gives me 9 months to convince colleges that I'm the one they want. I have to sum up my life in a generic college app and multiple essays with compact word limits. Thankfully, I've limited down my college choices. So where might this blogger attend in the future?

Emerson College - Boston, MA

Why? It's Boston, the college town. Emerson is primarily a communications school, with a good rep & right in the heart of Boston's theater district.

Why Not? It's mighty expensive, with average 86% average percent of need met; the majority in loans.

UC San Diego 

Why? Tuition is low, great city. La Jolla Playhouse is located ON CAMPUS! 

Why Not? Not on the East Coast. Campus is so big, they have their own shuttle system.

Boston University - Boston, MA

Why? It's Boston. Great school.

Why Not? I'd be a small fish in a big pond.

The Rest: Fordham University, Ithaca College, UC Santa Barbara, UCLA, Loyola Marymount

I'll be calling one of these campuses home. Which one? Who knows. Although I whine about college apps, the other part of me can't wait to embark on this journey and begin my professional career.