This is something I wrote just before my 15th birthday and titled, "Depression!" (note the exclamation point.) But I don't think it's depressing at all. What do you think?
Depression!
Try to live, try to die Try to laugh, try to cry Try to sing, try to dance Try to love, to find romance Try to share, try to care Try for truth, try for dare Try for friends, try for kin Try not to lose, you've got to win Try to stand, don't try to fall 'Cause if you do you'll lose (it) them all. There's not much choice unless you try.
There's no room for losers, Turn back if you must Don't tell any secrets, unless you can trust
You've got to be good All people are All useless people, just drift way afar You can't be a quitter, Quitters get lost. If you give up, you'll sure find your cost You're here for a reason, if you did not know… Convicted of treason? Then you must go Life is a game, an original sport Competition is tough, there's no last resort Losing's uncalled for Winning's the best.
"Get ahead of the other's…run them all down." "Don't fall behind, or you'll be the clown." Keep pushing and striving for this tough obstacle Don't run on empty, play always on full. Don't talk with the others, they couldn't care less If you get too close, there could be a mess Just go for the gusto! Sound familiar to you? It's good advice, for it's all true. Don't go "exactly", create your own style If you're somber and boring, You'll trudge your last mile
Don't go with the flow, that's not always right If you go much too far, there could be a fight
Just live and live let live, look in to those words My point is not stupid and not quite absurd! ~jolene (age 14)
The story of Figg begins with a wedding. As attendees, Robin Peringer and Gilden Tunador, members of Seattle's quietest band, "Carissa's Wierd", witnessed a bizarre event. The drum rolled, the bride threw her bouquet, and a violent CRASH resounded. A voluminous, collective gasp was heard, and then silence. At the exact moment the bouquet began its trajectory, a stolen red corvette, pursued by 3 wailing police cars, drove up onto the sidewalk and ricocheted between the garden wall and 8 of the guests' parked cars. The chase continued for several miles, its momentum slowing only for a few seconds to shock the wedding party. That night, a marriage started with a bang. It's a great reminder that love can be pretty fucked up. You're bound to hit unexpected obstacles along the way, but you must keep moving forward. That can be applied to bands as well - for that same evening, the concept of Figg began. Inspired by the profundity, resilience, tenacity, and the illusiveness of Love, Gilden and Robin decided to form a band whose songs' focus explores the edge between love's negative and the positive. It's too easy to write about sadness and negativity, and much harder to turn the perspective into a brighter one. While humans are naturally prone towards pessimism, Figg follows the road of ultimate optimism. The Smith's lines "If a double decker bus, crashes into us, to die by your side, is such a heavenly way to die," says it well. As Nick Cave continues to capture in his music, there always exists light with dark, the two are attracted to each other, intertwined in battle for power. Figg's music shares the struggle to overcome negativity, creating an almost mystical beauty to it. The songs are wistful journeys about love lost but not forgotten, victory over hate, and hope over dejection. All the while Robin and Gilden were writing pieces and recording for Figg, they had separate paths to follow - Gilden left Seattle and her project Stella Maris, relocated to Los Angeles, and began Queen Maud Land. Robin moved onward to play in Modest Mouse, 764-HERO, Elliot Smith, and as a part time member of Love As Laughter. In 2008, finished with exploring other avenues, Robin and Gilden made Figg their focus. After reviewing their extensive collection of work, they compiled a 12 song debut. Truly worldly, it was recorded in hotel rooms by Robin crossing the globe on tour, a laundry room in his Delaware house, and Gilden's Los Angeles home studio. They are honored to have their former band mates from Carissa's Wierd altogether for the first time since its breakup in 2003, to perform back up vocals and guitars on several tracks - Mat Brooke, now of Sub Pop's Grand Archives, Jen Ghetto of "S", and Sarah Standard on violin. Like Cave, Figg's recordings embody a simple, archetypal, and heartfelt glory, but the live show feels like an exorcism, leaving the listener feeling transcended. Figg, much like a wedding, heralds a new beginning, but like anything, can be marred by destructive forces. However, love and light will continue to battle darkness and destruction, which are are all unstoppable. It's up to the individual to choose in which direction to follow. Follow Figg...
Currently
listening
:
Free Mars
By
Lusk
Release date: 1997-04-15
The super cool author Stephanie Kuehnert has been kind enough to include me in the group of Women Who Rock (I'm blushing) Blog Party in celebration of her release week of her new novel, I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone.
Quit crying you stupid ass! Man I'm down! Danny gave me a ride home! Big thrill. He didn't say much! I don't know! I don't even think he likes me! FUCK IT! I really like him A LOT! I wonder if he knows that! "The Chauffer" was playing on the car stereo and I go, "Hey, this is Duran Duran!" and he goes, "No fake!" in a cute way and I don't think we said much else! Except for, "This must be it" and "see ya!" I really hope we're still "talking" although there's a big doubt in my mind.
* Dear 14 year Jolene. Really? REALLY?
NO DOY! He was just not that into you. (He was in love with your best friend dork)
THIS IS THE COMB I WAS TALKING ABOUT!
I had to make it myself out of paper. Anyone remember these???
Nitey.
Currently
listening
:
Rio
By
Duran Duran
Release date: 2001-07-03
Yesterday I was walking down the street when I noticed two sweet little birdies such as this one:
stuck in a glue trap such as this one:
I stopped in horror and verbalized what I was thinking. "Someone left a glue trap out and birds are getting stuck!" There was a guy walking is baby in a stroller and seemed to be in a hurry. He didn't say anything. One of the birds was really struggling and the other wasn't putting up too much of a fight. Weirdly enough this took place almost directly in front of an animal care center. I went in and told the receptionist. She said that they don't treat wildlife and I said that I realized that but the trap is there and more birds could get caught. She said that she would send someone out to get the trap.
As I walked back outside I saw the guy with the trap in his hands and then I saw one of the birds fly free. He said that the other one was really stuck and that he really had to leave. There was another girl standing there speaking on her phone. She said that she saw the birds and walked around the corner realizing that she couldn't really walk away until she knew that something was being done. The bird didn't look well. I told her that I was going to go get a little water for it so I went across the street to Union Market to get a little dish of water and when I came back one of the Vets from the animal clinic had come out to get the bird.
I'm inclined to believe that MOST people would want to do the right thing when it comes to saving animals or people in trouble.
I was doing laundry last night and I saw a huge bug flying around. It was kind of spooky. A lady was walking in and I said, "watch out, there's a bug" and I pointed to where it landed. She said, "Do you have something to kill it with?" and I said that I didn't want to kill it. That I don't kill bugs that aren't harmful.
It was a dragonfly
Do you think most people are inclined to help people and/or animals in need?
There will be prizes! (Including a chance to win Go Ask Ogre by yours truly! :D)
Here's what people are saying about I WANNA BE YOUR JOEY RAMONE:
"...an empowering new twist on a girl's coming of age..." - Los Angeles Times
"...irresistible..." and "...acidly incisive and full-out entertaining..." - Booklist
"...a rich, muscular story..." - Bust Magazine
"A wonderfully written and evocative story of a mother and daughter parted by circumstance and joined by music. I heartily recommend it." - Irvine Welsh, author of Trainspotting
"Some books play at trying to be "edgy"; some books try to hit the right notes; but Kuehnert's prose doesn't notice labels. It just is--which is the purest kinda edge. Teeth. Punk. Combat boots. Attitude. Feminism. Family. Girls with guitars. Relationships that jack you up. Sharp things of the not-good kind. Friendships. Love... It's all here; it's all pure and real. I loved it."- Melissa Marr, New York Times bestselling author of Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange
"Kuehnert's love of music is apparent on every page in this powerful and moving story. Her fresh voice makes this novel stand out in the genre, and she writes as authentically about coming of age as she does punk rock. She's titled the book after a great song by Sleater-Kinney, and both that band, and the iconic Joey Ramone, would be proud of this effort." Charles R. Cross, New York Times bestselling author of Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain
"I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone is intense, raw and real; a powerful and heartbreaking weave of Emily Black's public dream of making music and the intensely private one of finding her elusive, missing mother. Emily, a gutsy, passionate and vulnerable girl, knows exactly what she wants and strides straight into the gritty darkness after it, risking all and pulling no punches but leaving us with the perfect ending to a fierce and wild ride." - Laura Wiess, author of Leftovers and Such a Pretty Girl
"Stephanie Kuehnert has written a sucker-punch of a novel, raw and surprising and visceral, and like the best novelists who write about music, she'll convince you that a soul can indeed be saved by rock and roll."- John McNally, author of America's Report Card and The Book of Ralph
"Stephanie Kuehnert writes with dramatic flare and all the right beats, as she spins a story with punk rock lyrics, big dreams, and one girl not afraid to reach out to her lost mother through music, while enduring intense journeys in between. A debut like an unforgettable song, you'll want to read I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone again and again." - Kelly Parra, author of Graffiti Girl
Get a sneak peek of the first chapter on Simon & Schuster's website!
Or, you could just purchase it straight away! BUY IT NOW!!!
Currently
listening
:
Greatest Hits
By
The Ramones
Release date: 2006-06-06
Why oh why can I not find an image of one of those chunky combs we used to stick in our Jordache back pockets???
I found tons of 80's sites when I googled "80's huge pocket combs" but I have found nothing. I really need one. It's for Chapter 2 of "Do You Think He Likes Me?" Any suggestions?
*** Two – The Accidental Mullet Summer 1983
The night before I was to go to my grandparents' trailer on Lake Erie, my mother surprised me with a new haircut. She chopped all my hair off, leaving me with the unfortunate hairstyle known as a mullet. I was traumatized. Katie looked great with a mullet because Katie was beautiful. But me? I thought it brought out my freckles and chubby cheeks even more. I cried myself to sleep that night.
I was determined not to let to let my bad haircut get in the way of my summer vacation. Katie came to visit for the weekend, and we went skating at the Gem Beach skating rink. As Hall & Oates' "Maneater" blared from above, I found the courage to ask Joey, a fellow mullet head, to skate on "Ladies' Choice". Joey courted me that summer, boosting my self-esteem.
Really, it takes so little to make me happy. Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is my fave but unfortunately they're not here on the East Coast. Their Ice Blendeds are far superior to Starbucks' Frappuccino's which, in opinion, tastes like syrup.
Anyway, I am so super thrilled that I can purchase my Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf House Blend coffee on Amazon.
And? I have Amazon prime so I get free shipping!!!
Also, today I'd like to thank the Universe for allowing me to have a job which gives me the opportunity to experience the behavior of interesting characters who cease to inspire me.
Last night I was working at a charity event. I was passing hor dourves when I felt an aggressive hand squeeze my side. I turned around expecting an "excuse me" or an "I'm SO sorry, I didn't mean to grab you". I got neither. Instead, the rude offender peered over the tray and said, without even making eye contact with me, "naaahhh" and walked away. I couldn't help but say "WOW!" as I stood there in shock.
When it rains I can't help but want to obsessively listen to Rain by Tones on Tail.
I've been experimenting with writing style and structure as of late. I really enjoy doing all of the exercises from the following books. * What if? by Anne Bernays & Pamela Painter Spunk & Bite by Arthur Plotnik On Writing Well by William Zinsser Yoga for the Brain by Cheryl Miller Thurston The Art of Fiction by John Gardner (recommended by Bob Fisher writer of Wedding Crashers) Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss (recommended by NY Times Bestselling author Jen Lancaster) The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. & E.B. White Story Structure Architect by Victoria Schmidt, Ph.D. * I'm going to do the following exercise over several blog posts…hopefully within the week. This exercise was taken from the book What if? from page 31.
* Choose a central dramatic incident from your life.
Write about it in first person, and then write about it in third person (or try second person!). Write separate versions from the point of view of each character in the incident.
Have it happen to someone ten or twenty years older or younger than yourself.
Stage it in another country or in a radically different setting.
Use the skeleton of the plot for a whole different set of emotional reactions.
Use the visceral emotions from the experience for a whole different story line.
THE OBJECTIVE:
To become more fluent in translating emotions and facts from truth to fiction. To help you see the components of a dramatic situation as eminently elastic and capable of transformation. To allow your fiction to take on its own life, to determine what happens and why in an artful way that is organic to the story itself. As Virginia Woolf said, "There must be great freedom from reality".
So…I'm going to try to do this daily but I'm going out of town and I can't promise. I'd love to see what you come up with. Please post it by blog, not email.
Oh yes I did see David Bowie yesterday. He was sitting in the corner—looking fab—wearing glasses, conducting a meeting. Seriously, he looks SO great. Has he had surgery? Or is he just a healthy, happy and successful man?
And I saw Whoopie Goldberg also. I've always loved her. Smiley, happy and exuding positive energy.
Also LOVE the show "Samantha Who". I love all the characters. And the other day as I walked up to table 205 I realized that it was Jennifer Esposito sitting there looking all gorgeous. Because I love this show I was hoping that she would be kind. Stupid, I realize. It's a television show. She is an actress. It shouldn't matter if she's kind or not. And let's just say that she was not nice to me during the whole interaction of me serving her. Would that mean that she's not a nice person or that she was having a bad day? That's just like me assuming that John Goodman is a jerk because I couldn't get him the edamame that he requested years ago when we I was doing (and LOATHING) craft services. Maybe he was just really intent on eating healthy and that he was really craving edamame and was counting on the protein and I fucked up his day. Maybe that's why he was rude to me. I should probably let that go, yes? Clearly, I'm ranting. Miss Jennifer Esposito was lovely and sweet and that means???
Bottom line? I guess I'm fond of nice people.
Aside from perfecting my eavesdropping techniques I've just been super busy. I've been pulled left and right and well, I'm pretty knackered which is why I haven't been blogging so much….and sometimes I wonder why I blog….I've actually been working on several projects and attempting to get out more.
Also, I love Scarlett's new song. I think it's an interesting idea.
inspired
