Fun in the Form of a Slide

I was there strictly for the yearbook. Camera in hand, I took pictures of the Sadie Hawkins event at my high school. My expectations, however, fell sideways and tumbled onto the floor. My peers looked at me the way celebrities look at paparazzi. I loved taking pictures, but they hated having their pictures taken. Fortunately, this night, something else was about to lure me: fun. It came in the form of an inflatable slide. I looked at that slide and it baited and reeled me in. Our worldly desires often mislead us.

The slide’s design allowed two people to go down it at once. Who would go down it with me? My drama teachers’ wife, Mrs. Anderson, stood nearby. She made a good candidate. One problem existed, however, that we failed to recognize: We were both just a tad overweight.

First, Mrs. Anderson climbed to the top of the slide. Then I followed. As I neared the top, I began to have trouble climbing the slide. My feet began slipping off the ladder.

“Help me, Mrs. Anderson, help me!” I cried out.

She leaned to help me. Our combined weight flipped the slide over onto its side. I felt like a tree as the lumberjack calls “timber!” I screamed. She laughed. We tumbled onto the floor and rolled about on top of each other.

While most people use “laugh out loud” (LOL) or “rolling on the floor laughing” (ROTFL) as figures of speech, that night, I literally rolled on the floor, laughing. Mrs. Anderson never let me forget that night. She told everyone she knew about it and whenever I see her she exclaims, “Help me, Mrs. Anderson, help me!” We learned that slide cometh before a fall.

Have a Great Day!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

A Funny Christmas Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fe11OlMiz8&eurl=http://simplysage.blogspot.com/2007/12/christmas-fun.html



Found this video here: http://simplysage.blogspot.com/2007/12/christmas-fun.html

Book Review: How to be Heard in Heaven

HOW TO BE HEARD IN HEAVEN
By Eddie Smith
Bethany House, 0764203924, PB, 172 pages, $14.99

In How to be Heard in Heaven, Eddie Smith reminds readers, “as long as we whine to God about our problems, we’ll see nothing. Begin to celebrate God’s answer, and He will show it to you” (p 130).

Smith explores prayer as an intimate relationship with Christ wherein we acknowledge God’s power and submit to His will. We should trust God to provide and should become expectant prayer warriors, praying as if God has already answered us.

Smith uses simple stories, concepts, and verses to support his ideas. His ideas are refreshingly different from those in typical books on prayer. He covers thought-provoking concepts with easy-to-understand language. Smith also discusses controversial aspects such as healing and miracles. Occasionally you have to read something several times to understand it, but most of the book is an easy read. How to be Heard in Heaven fits church libraries best because Smith writes to mature teenagers and adults who want to further their relationship with Christ.

Review - 10 MPH: A Segway Documentary

I can't imagine how much money and how much effort it would take to ride a segway across the US. Can you believe someone actually did it? Of course, he did it with his friends riding behind in a car, but still, how awesome would it be to go across the country in slow motion at 10 miles per hour!

Two men quit their jobs and headed for Seattle, where they would start their long segway journey. They dealt with financial problems along the way. They had to find sponsors because they did not have jobs to support the trip. They stayed in hotels, in the homes of strangers, and in their car. They drove through rain and through snow. Finally, they reached Boston where they arrived to applause and balloons. The two men made a documentary about this trip called "10 MPH."

Last night, I watched this documentary. Overall, it was somewhat boring. It kept going on and on with nothing to add oomph to the film. However, the concept of riding a segway across the US kept me interested. The film includes interviews with people the men met along the way as well as interview with news channels.

The men also faced challenges along the way. I yelled at the screen of my TV as an arrogant police officer pulled the men and their friends over for driving too slow. The men also had to change the batteries of their segways frequently. They planned on going 60 miles per day, which would require at least 6 battery changes per day. One pair of segway batteries will get you anywhere from 10 to 20 miles on a charge.

I enjoyed the scenery the film showed. The men passed through Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons on their trip as well as through several cities. What I did not enjoy was the language. The film was very down to earth and realistic (it did not seem scripted at all), but the men who took the journey used distasteful language frequently throughout the film including the s and f word.

Despite its negative sides, the film was informative and interesting. I recommend it to anyone who can handle the language and who is interested in segways

You can explore the documentary's website here: http://www.10mph.com/

A Bible Quiz

I found this quiz through http://msp31wannabe.blogspot.com/2007/12/something-fun-quiz.html

You know the Bible 98%!

Wow! You are awesome! You are a true Biblical scholar, not just a hearer but a personal reader! The books, the characters, the events, the verses - you know it all! You are fantastic!

Ultimate Bible Quiz
Create MySpace Quizzes

An Extra Hand: How I Got My Segway Tire Off the Segway

God is so amazing! When I'm in the tightest pinch, He always works things out for me! He waits for me to totally freak out and then reminds me that I need Him. Then, he solves the problem. Sometimes He does it in an unexpected way, as well. Today I put my segway tire back on my segway. This afternoon, I realized the other tire was flat. I began to freak out. I tried to remove it so I could pump it up, but couldn't figure out how to do it. I tried to pump it up while it was still on the segway and that didn't work. I called my dad to try to figure out how to use the tool to remove the segway. I scratched and hurt myself. I broke a nail! I cried. I whined. I was exhausted. I had quite a work out! But then, I decided to give it one last try. I started to try to unscrew the screws the opposite way I had been trying and it worked! It worked a lot easier than I thought it would work! I'm not very strong, so it was as if God had given me an extra hand! I pumped it up, and at first the air didn't seem to stay in the tire. I kept trying, however, and now it's full of air (15-20 psi)! Now I'm waiting to see if the air leaks out. If it doesn't, my segway, Brooklyn Segway Wheeler, will be officially fixed!!!



P.S. This is a reminder to post on the following topics: 1. My trip to Chicago and 2. Those times that we'll never forgive ourselves for and 3. A review of Harry Potter 5

Harry Potter 5

I though since Harry Potter 5 came out this week I would repost my review on the film.

The fifth film has less of a plot to it and very little mystery. The book builds more on Harry's visions that lead him to go to the Hall of Prophecies, but the movie, with very little time, must choose what is most important to the film. I am happy with what writers and directors chose to keep. In this film you see very little of Harry's friends and professors and lots of Harry. You will find that the development of Harry's character in this film will become very important in the sixth movie. While the fifth installment lacks mystery, it lays the foundation for future installments. Harry deals with his dark side and must choose whether to give in or stand up to evil.

Part of Harry learning to stand up for himself comes from his experience with Dolores Umbridge and the Ministry of Magic. Too proud to admit Voldemart has returned, the Ministry turns to lies and deception to keep up their reputation. They take over Hogwarts in the form of Professor Dolores Umbridge, who tidies things up by enforcing harsh rules, firing some questionable professors, and preventing the students from practicing spells. In response, students form their own secret society where Harry teaches them how to defend themselves against the Death Eaters, or Voldemort's followers. Harry grows as he teaches them, but still struggles with teenage hormones. He gains his first kiss with Cho Chang. On top of this, he still does not know what to do about his violent emotions. He says he's angry all the time and isolates himself from his friends. Luna Lovegood reminds him of the importance of community in fending off our foes. By the end of the film, Harry has a better idea of who he is as a person and of what his purpose is in life. Although it has been mentioned in past films, (spoiler alert) he finally understands that he has something Voldemort will never have: love and friendship. He chooses the good and pushes Voldemort out of his mind. Voldemort leans over Harry and whispers, "You will lose." The Ministry walks in and there's no denying the truth any longer.

David Yates directs the film for his first Harry Potter flick and I have to say I really enjoyed it. While the third film was my favorite, I did not like the direction of "The Prisoner of Azkaban." I would not mind the original director of the Potter films returning, but I also dislike the director of the fourth film. The sixth film should be interesting. I did not like the fifth book much, but loved the movie. I love the fourth book, but hated the fourth movie. I wonder what my impression will be of the sixth movie. The sixth movie is the beginning of the end of the series and cleans off looses ends from the fifth film. It will be important that it is done well and that parts of the book left out are tastefully chosen. One thing's for sure, I hope they bring back Nicholas Hooper as the composer. "Order" has the most beautiful and fulfilling soundtrack out of all the films. It builds off the original soundtrack in small amounts, but contains mostly new material that really connects with characters and events in the film. I highly recommend it. The acting in the film is also worth mentioning. Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson have grown so much in their abilities; it's hard not to like them. Newbie’s also do not disappoint. Imelda Staunton is ironically wicked as the cat loving, pink wearing Dolores Umbridge and Evanna Lynch's calm, strangely pitched voice adds character to the role of Luna Lovegood. It really is the best Potter film yet. Helena Bonham Carter also joins the cast as Bellatrix Lestrange. Considering how few lines she has she portrays a lot about her character just by body language and costume.

I found extra meaning in this film because I recently read a book called "Looking for God in Harry Potter" by John Granger. Reading this book and thinking more about the plot lines I found three main Christian elements in the story of this film:

1. Community. Harry tries to go it on his own, but finds he can't. Luna Lovegood reminds him that his friends provide support and loving care to him, encouraging him in his fight against evil, not to mention his fights against his own hormones. In the end, it is the memory of this love and friendship that enables Harry to say no to Voldemort. Likewise, we as Christians have many battles to face. We find support in community. We pray for each other and treat each other as we wish to be treated. We find that we all have a part to play in the building up of the church and no individual God-given gift can accomplish anything on its own. We also find community in the Order of the Phoenix, which bands together to fight Voldemort, as well as in Dumbledore's Army, the group of students Harry secretly teaches when Umbridge forbids the practice of magic. Interestingly enough, throughout history the phoenix has been a symbol used for Christ. Dumbledore also stands as a God-like father figure.

2. Life after death. Harry hears voices coming from the archway that Sirius disappears into at death. From this we gather that there is life after death and we always have something to hope for. Luna Lovegood tells Harry at the end of the film that things have a way of coming back to us in unexpected ways.

3. Good vs. Evil. Throughout the film, Harry struggles with the possibility that he could become just like Voldemort. A dark side in Harry begins to rise. He questions Sirius, asking why he feels so angry and what exactly the implications of his anger are. Both Sirius and Dumbledore indicate to Harry that everyone has both good and evil in them, it is which side they choose to act upon that matters. As Christians, we find the same thing true with our hearts. We all have a sinful nature that came with the fall. We can't get rid of our fleshly tendencies, but we can choose to say no to the temptation when it comes. It won't stop coming, we can still say no. Satan will try to attack our minds telling us that we, too, will "lose," but with God's help we can do anything. Once you decide to accept Christ, you belong to Him and Satan cannot take your soul. All he can do is try his best to keep you from bringing others to Christ. We all have the potential to do evil, but it is our choices that matter because God gave us free will.

So, I am a huge Harry Potter fan and I am a Christian. No that is not redundant or contradictory. Harry Potter is a great story that we all can learn from. You'll find that the fifth Harry Potter film will fill you up with a lot to digest. Not just the great special effects (I especially like the transitions, dueling scene, and newspaper headlines) and great acting, but the morals and the continuation of a great story worth watching over and over again.

Ice

It's raining today, but it's been icy and it's supposed to get icy again. I love the ice, I just hope it doesn't cancel my flight home on Friday! Anyway, The link below will take you to a great video with pictures of ice. You can also go to my photo site: http://declarationphotos.blogspot.com/ for some of my ice photos.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid823425597/bclid877032950/bctid1341032239

In the Mood for a Good Scare?

My roommate and I somehow started looking at videos about subliminal messages in Disney cartoon movies and in advertisement. What we found were these:

Worship

I'm working on a term paper about worship styles and how worship should be planned to meet the congregation's needs (what styles they like), but most of all still focus on God. Any comments would be appreciated. I've posted a few comments on worship based on other blogs at my other blog if you are interested: http://confabremarks.blogspot.com/

Update on Brooklyn Segway Wheeler

For those of you who don't know, I named my segway Brooklyn Segway Wheeler. Thus the title of this post.

I haven't posted much about my segway lately because, unfortunately, Brooklyn is still extremely sick and disabled at the moment. That is, she has no right wheel. Her wheel is currently in the mail on its way back to me. I took it home to fix the flat tire and now my parents are sending it back to me. At least this is happening at a time when its too cold to be outside. It's in the 30s and 40s outside right now. Having no segway to journey out on is also preparing me for going home without Brooklyn. I can't bring her on the plane, so I will be segwayless for a month and a half.

In the mean time, I take joy in looking back at old memories of Brooklyn, like the time a middle-aged man turned to an elderly woman and said, "That's what you need!"

Prejudices in Society

God created all things. Compared to His glory and the wonder of His creation, we are nothing. Yet, He chose us to have dominion over the earth. We are His stewards, though we do not deserve it. He loves us enough to put all He has made under our hands and feet. We are not biological machines. Psalm 22:9-10 says, “Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother's breast. From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God.” God created us for a purpose and we should strive to follow His purpose for our lives. We are uniquely made. He knew us before we were conceived. Psalm 139:13-14 says, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

The Declaration of Independence says, “all men are created equal.” God created man in His own image. He made every person unique and special and every person equally has the chance to accept His gift of salvation. We should not judge others based on their ethnic or racial background because God created people of various colors, all unique and all equal in His eyes.

Some people tend to base their opinions of ethnic or racial groups on a select few who gave a bad impression. I once assumed that all Mexicans were bad and thought that the United States should not allow them to become such a large part of our society. I thought that if illegal immigrants were inconsiderate of our culture and came to the United States only for the free benefits, then all Mexicans were that way. I’ve caught myself thinking wrong thoughts about African Americans as well. I did not like that they received special benefits because of their race. Also, I grouped many of them as poor people who were too lazy to work their way up in society.

God has slowly brought me to see that my prejudices are wrong. I am too quick to judge and often allow my prejudices to get in my way. Not only do I judge too quickly based on race, ethnicity, and looks, but I also tend to form quick opinions on first sight of a person. I’ve learned that once I get past my judgmental views, I can see more than the outside of a person. John 7:24 says, “Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment." I still have prejudices, but I try to throw them out and replace them with God’s point of view. Human nature does not allow us to become completely righteous. Because of this, we have no right to judge others. We all have sinned. Romans 2:1 says, “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.” As Christians, we should reach out to others instead of judging them. The ultimate judgment belongs to the Lord. Romans 14:13 says, “Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.”

Genesis 3:16-18 says,

To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." '
To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it.' Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.”
While I believe in equality of the sexes, I also believe that each sex has limitations. Man and woman were created one way, but because of the Fall, woman was placed under man’s authority. Woman has more strength for giving birth and man has more strength for work. Woman desires man and man rules over woman. Many women manage to make their way to the top, but because of the Fall, most have trouble getting there.

Many people tend to judge people based on their sex rather than on their race or ethnicity. God created all men equal, but He also created them unique. No two people are the same. He knows the sex of a child before its birth. He also created males to differ from females. Each has their own characteristics that the other does not possess. Together, the two sexes make a whole. Marriage should be between one man and one woman. Unfortunately, today, many women are seen as sex objects or airheads. Many believe in the survival of the fittest, and to men that means dominion over women.

We live in a selfish world. People focus on self-gratification instead of on the greater good. Because of this, many overeat, spend too much time playing video games, or live sedentary lives as couch potatoes. When people feel restless, they look to the world for fulfillment and entertainment. When stressed, people buy things or overeat. I have three weaknesses: DVD’s, CD’s, and food. I overeat and often buy DVD’s or CD’s I don’t need.

The world cannot fill the holes within people. As Christians, we find fulfillment in Christ. We should spend time with God. The world makes it easy for us to get caught up in what we are doing and to forget to praise God for what He has given us. We need to remember to take time out for God. People are reduced to race, ethnicity, sex, and self. We must remind society that these prejudices and activities are not all that matter in life. We should glorify God in all that we do. This means we should not allow our prejudices and worldly activities to control us.

New Award!

Thanks to http://mumsdadschildren.blogspot.com/2007/11/here-we-go-again.html, who has given me this award! I now pass it on to the following blogs:

http://thewhatifwomen.blogspot.com/

http://holyghostspeaksplainly.blogspot.com/

http://touching-world.blogspot.com/

http://msp31wannabe.blogspot.com/

http://bibledude.net/WordPress/

What's your form of worship?

http://www.sacchurch.org/action-steps/sacred_pathways.htm

Harmony -Based on your responses to the Sacred Pathways Assessment, your temperament favors a Naturalist approach to worship.

Intellectual

23

Contemplative

21

Enthusiast

18

Caregiver

19

Activist

13

Ascetic

24

Traditionalist

14

Sensate

17

Naturalist

28

The information contained in this online assessment has been borrowed from the following book:"Sacred Pathways" by Gary L. Thomas© Copyright Zondervan Publishing, 2002click here to purchase this and other books by Gary Thomas, from Amazon.com
Summary of spiritual temperaments:
Intellectual - Loving God with the Mind:These Christians live in the world of concepts. They may feel closest to God when they first understand something new about Him.

Contemplative - Loving God through Adoration:These Christians seek to love God with the purest, deepest, and brightest love imaginable. They want nothing more than some privacy and quiet to gaze upon the face of their heavenly Lover and give all of themselves to God.

Enthusiast - Loving God with Mystery & Celebration:Excitement and mystery in worship is the spiritual lifeblood of enthusiasts. They are inspired by joyful celebration; cheerleaders for God and the Christian life. They don't want to just know concepts, but to experience them, to feel them, and to be moved by them. They like to let go and experience God on the precipice of excitement and awe.

Caregiver - Loving God by Loving Others:Caregivers serve God by serving others. They often claim to see Christ in the poor and needy, and their faith is built up by interacting with other people. Caring for others recharges a caregiver's batteries.

Activist - Loving God Through Confrontation:These Christians define worship as standing against evil and calling sinners to repentance. They are energized more by interaction with others, even in conflict, than by being alone or in small groups. Activists are spiritually nourished through the battle.

Ascetic - Loving God in Solitude and Simplicity:Ascetics want nothing more than to be left alone in prayer. Let there be nothing to distract them--no pictures, no loud music--and leave them alone to pray in silence and simplicity.

Traditionalist - Loving God Through Ritual and Symbol:Traditionalists are fed by what are often termed the historic dimensions of faith: rituals, symbols, sacraments, and sacrifice. They tend to have a disciplined life of faith and have a need for ritual and structure.

Sensate - Loving God with the Senses:Sensate Christians want to be lost in the awe, beauty, and splendor of God. They are drawn particularly to the liturgical, the majestic, the grand. They want to be filled with sights, sounds, and smells that overwhelm them. The five senses are God's most effective inroad to their hearts.

Naturalist - Loving God Out of Doors:The naturalist seeks to leave the formal architecture and the padded pews to enter an entirely new "cathedral", a place that God himself has built: the out-of-doors.

The Struggle Between Pen and Pride

“This girl at school loves the Lord and is awesome at writing,” Shanna Cirka had written. My pulse quickened.

The questionnaire had said, “Choose one friend and write a paragraph about him or her.” The yearbook staff had distributed questionnaires to students, and we were using quotes from them throughout the yearbook. I wondered whether anyone had written about me. I had no friends. Flipping through several questionnaires, Shanna’s had caught my attention.

Was she talking about me? No. I barely knew her, and I wasn’t the best writer at my school.

Shanna continued, “When you read her stories they come alive. They sweep you away. This girl may not be the most popular girl there is, but she’s very strong.”
I’m not that strong.

“I pray that one day people may see the beauty in Harmony Wheeler’s heart.”
How could she write this about me? Could she really know how I felt? I hated that I had no friends and was not popular; but here she was, a friend I didn’t know I had, writing such things about me. I knew then that I wanted to become a writer. I wanted to touch people such as Shanna, and I wanted people to touch me the way Shanna had touched me.

As time went on doubts entered my mind. My freshman year in college I attended a school in New York City. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to write or whether I wanted to write at all. I told myself that the city had many opportunities and that I would learn what to write about, even if I didn’t learn how to write.

Living in the city, I attended many Broadway shows and operas. As my love for music grew, I wondered why God hadn’t gifted me in performance. Finally, I realized that God had given me a love of theatre so I could write about acting and singing. I devoured reviews and read about opera and musical theatre. I saw that sexual humor and bad language helped to sell many shows, so I knew that the world needed greater Christian influences.

Every time I stray from writing, God brings me back. I run, but He pulls. I argue, but He wins. God used Shanna’s note to shove my talent right into my face, but I still doubted my abilities. When I realized I would never sing for a living, I resisted God. In New York, God showed me that I could write about things I love.

I often doubt my abilities as a writer, but then I remember the ways God has used writing in my life. Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” God started something good in my writing and will continue to develop my talents. I am a writer. Music is my passion, but writing is my life, and God is my everything.

God forgives!!!

I'm so glad God forgives.

Luke 17:4

"And if he sins against you seven times a day, and seven times in a day returns to you saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."

Jesus Loves Me

Just For Fun

You Are a Conservative Chick

Like Elizabeth Hasselbeck and Ann Coulter, you're conservative and proud of it. You speak your mind, even if everyone else around you disagrees. As you see it, you have to stand up for traditional values and what's right.

Are You a Liberal Lady or a Conservative Chick?

In the Mood for the Holidays

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/grinch-cast-at-macys-parade/763847161

Pumping Air and Playing with Bubbles

Today I used soapy water to try to finde the leaks in my segway wheels. Then I pumped it up with air using the pump my dad bought for me that I got in the mail today. I found no leaks and the air left the wheel as quickly as it entered the wheel. Plus, my tire gauge doesn't work. Then I call my dad and he tells me that I need to use soapy water while pumping the air in! Wish he had told me that before, lol! So later I'm going to try that and if nothing works I'll have to try using slime. Meanwhile, I have community service to do (10 hour requirement for my college).

Warranty

In answer to a question about warranty:

Tired are not covered under the warranty (yours goes through March of 2008 per Alan) unless they are flat when you take them out of the box to assemble the i2. Nice thought, though. That was the first thing I asked Alan. Oh well...back to the drawing board.

The Dead Terrorist

CURSE YOU FLAT TIRES!!!

So I called a number of places and most said they probably couldn't do anything. One guy actually hung up on me. So my mom made some calls for me and today I went to the place she found. They said they didn't want to risk fixing my segway because they'd never worked on one before. Then I went to a Yamaha dealership and they said to fix a tire you have to replace the tube inside the tire. They don't have tubes as small as needed and called the segway people who said you have to buy brand new tires because they don't sell just the tubes. You have to buy a new tire through your local dealership (which for me is two hours away) and that it would cost around $200 per tire. What should I do? I would try the slime stuff and air it up myself, but I have no idea how to use a tire gauge.

What to do when you get a flat tire

First off may I just say, HELP!!! What am I supposed to do with a flat tire on my segway? How am I supposed to make it not flat?

So, for about a month now my friends have been telling my tires looked flat. They did not look flat to me and the segway still worked just fine, until today. Today I had been out for about a half hour when one of my tires randomly went flat. At first I though the sound I heard was just a leaf cauight on a wheel, but then the segway started to act up. A man I passed said, "got a flat tire, huh?" and then I knew, the rumors were true. My segway has a flat tire.

What do you do when your segway randomly gets a flat tire. Well, if you're smart you get off and walk the segway back home. I'm not so smart. I stayed on the segway, made a wrong turn or two, and rode it back to my dorm. I had to go very slowly. Sometimes the segway would randomly slow down. Other times it would lean too far forward or too far back. Some times it started going off to the right as if it wanted to topple over. I stayed on. I prayed. After some difficulties, I got back safely. If this ever happens to you, go no more than 5 miles per hour and keep a constant eye on the key for when the smiley face becomes a frown face (it will do this very frequently).

Anyways, now I have no way to return the DVDs I checked out that are due back Sunday before noon. Everyone is gone for fall break who could take me. What am I supposed to do? How do I make my tire not flat? HELP ME!

I've Been Published!

Ignore the typos, they're the editor's fault, not mine.

www.aboiteindependent.com

Book Review
HOW TO BE HEARD IN HEAVEN
By Eddie Smith
Bethany House, 0764203924, PB, 172 pages, $14.99

In "How to be Heard in Heaven", Eddie Smith reminds readers that "as long as we whine to God about our problems, we'll see nothing. Begin to celebrate God's answer, and He will show it to you"
(p 130).
Smith explores prayer as an intimate relationship with Christ, wherein we acknowledge God's power and submit to His will. We should trust God to provide and should become expectant prayer warriors, praying as if God has already answered us.
Smith uses simple stories, concepts, and verses to support his ideas. His ideas are refreshingly different from those in typical books on prayer. He covers thought-provoking concepts (forgiveness, anxiety, guilt, egotism) with easy-to-understand language. Smith also discusses controversial church issues as faith healing and contemporary miracles. Occasionally you have to read something several times to understand it, but most of the book is a easy to follow. This book fits into church libraries best because Smith writes to mature teenagers and adults who want to enhance their relationship with Christ.

Sweeny Todd Trailers

So far there isn't much musical elements in the trailers, but here they are.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5brXozjbno



http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809834155/video/4367764

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdC3aaykl2s

Some Scares Along the Way

Today's Segway Adventure was AWESOME! Well, not really. And it wasn't really an adventure either. But I did get some great comments. Some kids pointed at me and their mom said, "Yeah, isn't it cool!" Another man asked me if he could get a segway in town. I told him he would have to go to Indianapolis or glidemarin.com to get one. Finally, a man yelled out the window of his car, "Is that fun?" I replied, "Yeah!"

I did have a scare or two today, though. I went halfway into the road and stopped to wait for cars to pass, but they stopped for me. I almost thought I would be hit. No worries, I won't take any chances in the future. I also thought the cover on my segway that covers the spare battery and where the charger plugs in had been stolen, but I found it on the sidewalk on my way back. It had fallen off. It likes to do that.

Dumbledore is Gay

http://hogwartsprofessor.com/?p=196#more-196

J.K. Rowling has officially announced that her Harry Potter books are based on a Christian worldview. However, I also ran into the following article:

http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071020/ap_en_ot/books_harry_potter
That's right, Dubledore is gay. At first it kind of ruined my good opinion of the books, but then I started to think about it. Rowling says it was love that broke Dumbledore's heart, so I like to think that he realized his mistake and turned from it. Rowling also said that she was trying to promote tolerance of gay people. I like to think that she meant that gay people should not be discriminated against, but it's still a sin to be gay. I'm not against gay people. I'm against their actions, but I won't let that keep me from treating them like human beings. I don't know. I'm tending to think that Rowling is one of those, it's not a sin to be gay, people who think gay people have their rightful place in the church without repentence.

Honk Honk - Riding the Segway Without a Helmet

I was extra careful on my segway today. Why? Because I forgot to wear my helmet and gloves! I realized this about halfway to my destination. I was going fast because rain was expected any moment, but I had to slow down. Luckily, it did not rain on me and I did not fall. I have fallen twice already, so I know the importance of a helmet and gloves. They shield your fall and lessen the bruises. They may also save your life if you hit a car (which I have not done). When riding in windy conditions, be sure to wear a jacket or sweater to keep you warm (you don't want to get a cold). Also, do not try to go too fast against the wind; you could lose your balance and fall. Watch for bumps and try to avoid them. Sidewalks will often be uneven. If you come upon part of a sidewalk that has tranformed into a stairway, do not attempt to go over it; get off the segway and walk it over the stairstep. If there's no traffic, it may be better to ride on the road. I often ride on the road in neighborhoods. However, be alert for cars. Keep your ears open for the sound of a car's engine or the sound of a car driving over and crushing fallen leaves. If a car does appear, pull over to the side of the road and let the car pass.

No good reactions today. However, I did not post some of the reactions that I got about a week ago when I went to the local Blockbuster store.

One woman yelled out, "I like that!"

A man told me he wanted to ride my segway. He begged and pleaded, but I said no. He asked me how much a segway costs. I told him $5000. Surprisingly he still said he was going to buy one (but I doubt he will). Another man who appeared to be with him told him he could make his own segway. It's true you can make your own segway. I saw a website for just such a purpose. However, buying one is much easier and may even be less expensive and less time consuming.

Some kids also waved at me. I waved back.

Some other kids I saw were playing with their toy guns. They stopped to look at my segway. One of them said, "Cool, I want one of those!" A friend of mine who saw this happen told me I must feel real good, promoting world peace. I guess my segway is a great way to stop violence. LOL.

Last of all, the best reaction of the day was a man who turned to me and said, "Honk, honk. You got a horn on that?" Unfortunately, I did not have my bell with me at the time or I would have gave it a ring.

Broadway at a stand still

http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071006/ap_en_bu/broadway_negotiations

NEW YORK - Stagehands and producers negotiated until nearly midnight Friday, hoping to resolve contract issues that could shut down much of Broadway just as the fall theater season gets under way.
Both sides agreed to talk again Tuesday, said union spokesman Bruce Cohen.
Discussions reportedly had been tense this week between Local One, the stagehands union, and the League of American Theatres and Producers. Most of the conflict has involved the thorny issue of load-ins, the complicated physical setting-up of a show in a theater.
Producers say the rules governing load-ins are cumbersome and expensive, requiring more stagehands than needed. The union says the rules are necessary.
The League initially set a Sept. 30 deadline to resolve the conflict and threatened to lock out the stagehands if an agreement was not reached, but talks have continued.
The union, a member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, has been working without a contract since the end of July.

My Nightmares Come Alive

I feel extremely stupid right now. I wasn't thinking straight and I wasn't feeling well and I completely forgot to go to my fitness for life class today! My roommarte reminded me about twenty minutes past the time when class was supposed to start. It's my nightmares come true! This has happened to me before in other situations. Luckily I get 3 cuts, so I'll just use one of those. I don't think the teacher makes you makeup your labs anyway. We have to do labs where we test our wellness. Today we were going to test our flexibility. I hate missing class. Oh well.

In other news, my faculty friend cornered me today about skipping chapel so often. According to our Life Together Covenant I get 3 or 4 cuts per semester. They don't regulate it though and I thought I heard someone say at the beginning of the semester that chapel weren't required, so I've only been going once a week. There are 3 chapels every week. Anyway, my friend cornered me and said he wants me to go more often and that he was proud of me for going today. I guess he didn't notice that my roommate also skips chapel as often as I do. I don't know what it is about chapel I don't like. I grew up going to chapel once a week at a Christian school and I hated it. OUr chapels were so boring and I've never liked worshipping in a group setting unless I'm in the mood. I guess I feel pressured to worship the way everyone else does. It's so easy for me to get angry at chapel. I guess that's why I don't usually go.

Two One Dollar Bills

Two one-dollar bills fit neatly within my pocket. I reached for the money. What was money to me? What use did I have for two measly dollars? Perhaps I could buy some candy. Maybe I could buy a soda. No, I had a credit card for those sorts of things. My parents take good care of me; they pay for everything. They had even given me a fifty dollar gift card to Wal-Mart as a goodbye and good-luck-in-college gift, and here I stood at a Super Wal-Mart in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with the gift card and those two one-dollar bills.

What significance does two dollars have? When a small amount of money comes to you unexpectedly, it can have a lot of significance. Randomly coming into possession of two dollars makes a person wonder why they were given the money. They wonder, “Who would give money away? Why would they give money away?” Perhaps they did not need the money. Perhaps what they needed was the kindness. One act of kindness confuses the recipient. Why would you help someone you do not know?

Nervously, I reached into my pocket, took out the two dollar bills, and leaned over the cash register. Whispering gently to the cashier, I said, “Could you do me a favor? Could you take this money and apply it to the bill of the person behind me or just give it to them and let them use it in whatever way they want to?”

“You want me to do what?” the cashier looked confused.

I guessed I did not say it loud enough.

“Could you give this money to the person behind me?” I repeated.

“But… do you know her?”

“No.” I wanted to do something good for a stranger.

“Then, why? What do you want me do, again? Did I hear you right?”

“Please, give these two dollars to the person behind me.” Irritation rose up in me. Why wouldn’t she just do what I asked? Was it that hard? Why was it so strange for a person to want to do a good deed?

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

The cashier took the cash reluctantly. For a moment, she seemed to consider pushing the cash back into my hands. It was as if she did not want me to freely give my money away. She did not seem to understand why someone would do something for someone else. Coming from California’s fast and furious, self-centered culture, I expected the Midwest to overflow with kind people. I thought the Midwest was the opposite of California. The fact that a small act of kindness would surprise someone in the conservative Midwest came as a shock to me. The United States continues to focus on self, even in the Midwest. I only gave away two dollars, but even this stood out as something that does not happen every day.

I left the register as soon as I had given the money to the cashier, having no desire for recognition. I saw the reaction of the cashier, but wondered about the recipient of my two dollar bills. How would she respond? Rachel Steiner, a friend of mine, observed the recipient’s reaction. The woman who had been behind me in line rejected the money at first. She and the cashier looked around to see where I had gone, but I was no where in sight. After a few moments’ hesitation, she took the money and used to pay for part of her bill. She had two carts full of groceries and four children with her. There was no doubt in my mind; she needed that money and she needed something to brighten up her day.

Rachel took her two dollar bills and gave them to another cashier. I stood nearby to watch how the recipient would react. The cashier took the money willingly and handed it to the two women standing behind Rachel. The older of the two looked puzzled.

“Did you know the person who was in front of you?” the cashier asked.

“No,” the older woman replied.

“I just assumed she knew you.”

“Wow,” the younger woman exclaimed. “Who does a thing like that these days?”

The person behind them asked what was happening and the two recipients started to talk nonstop about the two dollar bills a kind girl had given them

“That’s the way things should be,” one of the women told the person behind them.

“Nobody’s ever done that before for me. I’ve never seen anyone do that for anyone,” the other woman said.

“She must want some good for her,” they continued. “God looks out for you when you do good.”

“What a loyal lady.”

“We don’t even know her.”

“I don’t even see her anymore. She just disappeared.” They were surprised that Rachel had disappeared without any desire for recognition.

They could not hold up the line all day, so they eventually got around to paying for their purchase, but their smiles never left their faces. I wondered what their beliefs were. The way they talked about God and about Rachel’s deed of kindness, it sounded like they believed in karma and some sort of god. So many people believe in some sort of god, but think no further than that. I was unsure of what these people believed.

I do not think that any of the people who gained two dollars from a stranger that day really needed the money. The amount they spent on groceries made two dollars seem like nothing, but I am sure that a small gift of two one-dollar bills blessed their day. It took me a long time to find a line where someone actually came up behind me so I could give them the money. It did not take so long when Rachel gave her two dollar bills to a stranger. I believe God put us in the right places at the right time. Who knows what those two dollar bills did for those who received them, but the money served a much larger purpose in their hands than it did in my pocket.

Showing Off

I like to show off on my segway. I've always liked attention. Sometimes you're not quite sure what to say, though. I also try to be humble. I went to Blockbuster and had lunch at a nearby Chinese Buffet food restaurant today. Thank goodness my friend and I weren't followed this time. We did have fun. She wouldn't stop teasing me about how I liked to show off. I know not to let things go to my head, though. Showing off can be a dangerous thing if you're not careful. That's how I fell the last two times. I was so comfortable and having so much fun that I forgot to watch where I was going and fell.

I did get quite a few good reactions today. One old man was looking for recyclable items. He looked homeless. When he saw me on my segway, he said, "I wish I could have one of those."

One woman asked me a few questions about my segway. All the usual ones. How much does it cost? How far can it go? Is it powered by gas or by battery? (In case you didn't know, it is powered by battery and can go up to 20 miles. It costs around $5000 used.) When my friend teasingly suggested that she try riding it, I said no. It didn't matter, though, because the lady was afraid to try it anyway.

One man did look at my segway and say, "I want to ride that." I replied, "Got $5000?" He lunged back in surprise and disgust. "I don't have that kind of money," he said as I left him.

Another woman saw me and shouted out, "Cool, wish I had one of those." She said something else too that I remember being a unique response, but I can't remember what it was she said.

On our way back, a couple in a van slowly passed us. They rolled down their window. "Sorry, we're not stalking you or anything, we just wanted to see how that thing worked," they told us. They said they had seen a segway once before a few years back in a parade. We talked a few minutes more and then went on with our business.

Lastly, one girl told me that she had seen police using segways, but always wondered if pedestrians could have one. She always was surprised to hear that they're actually called segways. She thought that was just what the police called them.

Following the Segway

I went to blockbuster on my segway today. My roommate, Lindsay, followed on her bike. We had a good time, but the scariest thing happened (we actually laugh about it now). Some guys in an old van followed us back to the dorms. At first we saw them going the opposite way of us. Then, we saw them cross in front of us. We saw them a third time (I guess they like zigzagging) and when we got back to the college a friend told us she saw an old van behind us. We got back safely and reported the van to campus security. Maybe they were just trying to get a better look at my segway, but they looked very creepy.

On the bright side, I got a few good reactions to my segway. One little girl yelled out, "Cool" and "Sweet!" Another guys stopped me. He was walking his dog, and he asked a couple of questions. He wanted to know how far my segway could go. I told him that it can go up to 20 miles on a battery, but if you go slowly it will probably only go 10-15 miles. He thought that was cool and was surprised it could go so far. He aksed how fast it could go, I told him it can go 13 miles per hour but the fasted I've gone is 12.1 miles per hour. He said he saw commercials for segways when it first came out. I told him it costs about $5000 for a used one. The technology is still fairly new. He said he's never seen one except on TV. They are getting more popular. Some cities give tours on them. Police and security officers use them. I even saw a guy giving out information at a casino in Las Vegas on one once. Anyway, I talked to the guy for a while and petted his dog. He's originally from San Diego. He was very friendly. We had to stop talking because it was getting late and dark out. Considering cars and bumps on the sidewalk, I wouldn't reccomend riding at night. I do, however, have reflectives and a light that I can put on my segway if I ever need some light.

Gene Kelly on Roller Skates

Rainbows

I woke up this morning to twi beautiful rainbows promising a beautiful day ahead, even if it is hot outside and humid. Unfortunately I didn't get my camera quick enough, so I have no pictures of it.

"This is the Day the Lord has made. I will be glad and rejoice in it."

The rainbows seemed to promised hope and escape from the past. I have reason to rejoice in God's mercy and love today.

Segways vs. Bikes

I went on an adventure today. I went to Blockbuster to check out some videos. I went on my segway, followed by my two friends who were on bikes. We had a blast. I thought I'd do some comparing of bikes and segways. Segways are great! They go up to 13 miles per hour, although the fastest I've gone is 12 mph and I reccommend going only 10 mph at the most. Bikes can go faster, but typically don't go faster. My friends were a good distance behind me. Bikes are good for exercises, but you can run out of strength quickly. Segways can only go about 16-20 miles on a battery without having to be recharged, but you don't run out of energy until you get off the segway (at which point your back may hurt a little from standing so long.). Segways take bumps better than bikes, but bikes can go around bumps on the grass whereas segways will often not be able to go on the grass (if you don't have the x2 model that is. I have the i2 model). I've learned to take the bumps slowly, but not too slowly. If you slow down too much your segway will stall on bumps it could pass at a faster pace. You have to learn what kind of bumps you can go over and what kind of bumps you can't go over. You also have to learn to watch for big bumps and to stop very quickly at a moments notice if you see a bump at the last second. I've already fallen once from not paying attention. Look straight ahead when you ride. Lastly, I would like to point out that my friends have trouble making turns on their bikes as well as pulling hills. This is not as much of a challenge for those of us who have segways.

Segwaying to the Movies

So, a couple of days ago I went out on my segway again. No falls this time. I brought a friend with me. She biked, I segwayed. We went to the movies to see Harry Potter 5. I'd already seen it, but she hadn't. Anyways, we had a blast. Let me tell you, crossing traffic and segwaying with the traffic when there are no sidewalks can be quite a suicide mission, but we go there alright. I had a few good reactions to my segway. One person yelled out, "Hey, where can you get that thing?" Not thinking, I told her Indianapolis. If I had had more time I would have said glidemarin.com but I kept segwaying on so I didn't slow down to think or to talk to the woman. I talked to an old couple about my segway later on. That was fun. Old people are so cute! I didn't think they would like my segway so much. I supposed the elderly probably didn't like new technology. Well, they liked it, but I don't remember what all we talked about. My friend who was with me remarked about how cool the lock for my segway is. It is made specially for the segway and is very strong. The hard part is finding a bike rack. Considering how many bikers there are around her I'm surprised there aren't more bike racks. Bikers like to smile at me. It's fun because they often give the right of way to me. Some rowdy kids in their pimped up car yelled after me and honked. I think it meant, "Awesome thing you got there," but I couldn't make out what they were saying over their loud music. The midwest is not nearly as conservative as you think. There are boomers everywhere. Anyways, I also got a "cool thing" remark on that trip as well. My only complaint is that the thing that goes over the spare battery for the key and the place where you plug the charger in is broken. It won't stay on. I think the magnets that held it together broke. No worries, though. It doesn't mean the segway won't work.

In other news, I went roller skating with a friend yesterday and had a blast exercising! My segway couldn't take me, though. I had to find a ride.

I'm Going to be Published!

Dear Harmony,
Congratulations on hitting the big time your very first month in college. Your review of the Martin book will be published this December in the winter quarterly issue of CHURCH LIBRARIES. Your other review of the Martin book will be published in the Christmas issue of THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNICATOR.
So, you've cracked two national magazines in your first half-month of being at Taylor Fort Wayne. I see a very successful future ahead for you. Keep up the good work.
Dr. Hensley

Segways and Polo

From: AOL NewsCategory: News
In San Francisco, they're putting a new spin on an old game. It's polo without the horse. Players are using those high-tech stand-up scooters called Segways to buzz up and down the field. (Sept. 17)

Powered by AOL Video

Prince Caspian

http://www.cinematical.com/2007/09/17/exclusive-the-chronicles-of-narnia-prince-caspian-official-o/

Some short lessons and fun reactions

Two days ago I went out on my segway and I didn't fall. For once in my segway career, I did not fall! You see, segways can be safe and fun if you ride them the right way. Just don't get so comfortable that you forget to pay attention to where you're going! I did pick up a few new lessons, however. First of all, do not try to go too fast when riding against the wind. If the wind is blowing against you it can throw you off balance if you're not careful. Second of all, takes bumps slowly. Third, wear Off or some sort of mosquitoe spray to keep bugs off of you, especially if you go out in the evening. Speaking of bugs, you might want to wear safety glasses and go a bit slower when riding your segway near a river or some body of water. Bugs like to hang out near water in mass quantities. I learned this the hard way, hitting tons of bugs at once. I leaned my head forward a bit when I saw them coming so as to make them hit my helmet instead of my face. In the end, however, the bugs came off of me as the wind blew them away. Several actually flew away themselves, unharmed. Lastly, I learned that, while it is a stress reliever to go out on a segway on your own, it is a lot more fun to go with some friends. I try to get some of my friends who like to go biking to go with me. It's nice to have someone to talk to. Just don't fall from turning around to talk to them.

I did get a few nice reactions. I can't remember them all now, but some teens commented that my segway was cool and another woman said, "I like your thingy." So far no one has lectured me on how walking is healthier, although I have gotten a few strange looks. Some bikers look at me with a questioning face as if they wanted to say, "Why do I have to exercise to get places? Why can't I have a segway too? I hate that girl because she can have one and I can't." One man gave me one of these looks before smiling the other day. I think my favorite reaction, however, is when bikers genuinely smile at me and nod their heads as if tipping their hats (or helmets) off to my cool contraption. Of course, even cooler than this is when people on motorcycles or in trucks honk at me. Some teenagers who obviously thought they were something yelled something out, but I couldn't understand them over their loud music.

Cool Video

The Mile

So, I walked a mile today for my health/PE class and let me tell you, I'd take a segway over walking anyday if I have to walk more than a mile!

Another Fall - Still on My Feet

So I'm beginning to wonder if I ever really needed a segway. I'll certainly use it to get my money's worth and enjoy it in the process, but did I really need it? No, but I wanted it and I got it and I love it. But I fell for the second time today. I went to the movies and got there and back with one bar of batteries still left. To use up all of the batteries would amount to somewhere around 14 miles. I went 11 miles today. On my way back I hit a curb and the segway thew me over and I hit by left elbow, the left side of my face, and my left knee. My gloves, which luckily I was wearing today, kept me from any scratches on my hands. My elbows are fine. I have a few scratches on my face and a fat lip. My knee is cut fairly bad. I don't mind. It hurts a little, but I should have been paying better attention. My pants were ruined from new found holes, but I got right back up and kept on going. This is a surprise to me. When I was younger if something hurt me I would reject it forever. This is why I don't know how to ride a bike. This is also why I am always reluctant to go driving in a car again. I do not seem to have this problem with my segway. The segway is a little banged up, as am I, but I'm not afraid to get back on it and I do not think a few falls here and there are any reason not to buy a segway. I'm sure my mom is laughing her pants off right now. She fell on the Angel Island tour and got a fat lip from it. I laughed at her then because I thought I would be the one bad at riding a segway and that she would be good at it. Look at me now! I got used to the segway and then I fell. There's a lesson for you: don't get cocky on your segway and don't get too comfortable; something can always happen. I guess God was teaching me again that I need to stop being so high and mighty and give Him an eye. One of my faults is that I like to brag a lot. Here's another lesson for you: watch out for branches. I got hit in the face by some tree branches today, thus the scratches on my face. When you finish laughing at me, here's another funny fact. I got new pants in the mail today from my mom. Ironic, isn't it, since this afternoon I ruined one of my older pairs of pants. LOL. On the bright side, I got lots of nice reactions today, even after I fell. So much for not bragging. A few people honked at me, others said "cool." I think the best response was when a woman said, "There's one of those electronic things!" Someone else asked me if it was fun to ride and I replied, "Yes, even when you fall."

Pictures of Yesterday's Segway Adventure

On the Road

On My Way

Lindsay, a friend of mine, trying out my segway. She enjoyed it more that it looks.

Picking Up After a Fall - A Segway Adventure

There are many new things I am learning about my segway. First of all, do not try to talk to people behind you while riding your segway, or at least be very careful when doing so. Second of all, my segway does not go nearly as far as I supposed it able. Third of all, it is easy to go down stairs, but very difficult to go up stairs, while riding a segway. Lastly, take bumbs slowly and when you have people on bikes following do not slow down or stop or they may collide or fall. I learned all these things on my segway adventure this evening.

Two friends and I set off on our way to a nearby park with a bike path. They were on bikes and I was on my segway. I took the bumps of the sidewalk fairly slowly, and it worked out fine. In fact, I got to full speed today, which is about 12 miles per hour on your average segway. I did at one point slow down too much and one of my friends fell over and scratched her hands. She got right back up on her bike, however. Little did I know that she was foreshadowing my own fate.

On our way back, I turned to say something to one of my friends. I began to feel myself lose my balance. Strangly enough, the segway did not make its usual warning sounds and vibrations. Realizing I was losing my balance, I attempted to get off the segway, but tripped on it and fell over onto the nearby grass. My segway began to roll around as if it were going to attack me. It stopped after a few seconds and I was fine. My wrist was a little sore, but I got right back up and onto my segway again. No damage done, and I did not even have my gloves on (just my helmet - but that does not mean you do not need gloves - I'll be sure to wear them next time). My friends did freak out a little. One swore never to try out my segway, but the other said it made no difference, she was just concerned about me when I fell.

I still love my segway and I'll keep using it. Why do we fall? So we can pick ourselves back up again. (This is according to Batman Begins). I still think a segway is a great means of transportation. I only find trouble finding time as a college student to take it out and explore. I did notice that the battery on my segway was halfway down at only 4.5 miles distance. This means I can't go as far on it as I would like to. I think it might be because I weigh more than the average person (well over 200 pounds but under 300). So if you are within 200 to 300 pounds, do not expect to be able to go a full 20 miles as expected/promised by dealerships.

The trip was full of fun reactions. Some people just looked at me and smiled. Others said "cool" and asked me where I got my segway. I think the reactions are the best part of having a segway. Although I hope people I know here in the midwest do not think of me of the rich girl from California. A segway is cheaper than a car.

I'll post pictures of my adventure tomorrow.

Maria Callas

http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070910/ap_en_mu/people_maria_callas

Upon reading this I thought I would post a paper I wrote last year on Maria Callas.

Behind the Diva in Maria Callas

Maria Callas lived the life of an operatic character. Controversy followed her everywhere. There was her temper, there was her relationship with her mother, there was her marriage, affair, and divorce, and there was her voice. To the press and her audience she upheld her confidence, but behind the diva stood a lonely and wounded woman. She was sensitive but ambitious. The lack of love in her life made her bitter. She became notorious for being difficult to work with. She wanted revenge on those who hurt her, but at the same time wanted them back in her life. Her emotions clashed and she incorporated them in her music. “Her genius was that, although she was interpreting, she made her audience feel that she was creating” (Stassinopoulos xiii). The slightest move of her head conveyed an emotion. “She exploded the concept of what beautiful singing means: Is it pretty sounds and pure tones? Or should beauty evolve from text, musical shape, dramatic intent and, especially, emotional truth?” (Tommasini).

Maria’s unique acting made her stand out. Like a magnet, she drew everyone to herself. She could sing badly and everyone would still love her. For a time she could sing almost any part written for the female voice. She took lessons from well-known voice teachers. She had it all, even a jewelry collection that was hand made for her performances. It was all these artificial loves that filled the days of Maria Callas. She worked hard to get to the top. Due to her myopia, she had to memorize the stages. This also forced her to focus on her music and drama more because she could not rely on a conductor. Being a perfectionist, she obsessed over her parts. She would spend several hours practicing just one gesture of the hand. At one performance she tripped and fell, but stood back up and continued the rest of the opera without anyone in the audience noticing she had sprained her ankle.

Much of Callas’ determination came from her mother. Her grandfather was a well-known tenor in Greece. His singing gave her mother, Evangelia (also called Litza), her dream to become an actress. Litza failed to achieve her dreams, but she passed her desires and ambitions to her two daughters, Jackie and Maria. Jackie played the piano and Maria sang.

Maria found acceptance in music. Five years younger and less attractive than her sister, she knew rejection at an early age. Her birth on December 2, 1923, in New York City, was not received joyfully. When they had lived in Greece, Litza and George Kalogeropoulos had a son, Vasily, who died at an early age. Litza expected another boy and mourned the birth of her new daughter. Four days passed before she agreed to nurse Maria. Eventually, the babe was christened Cecilia Sophia Anna Maria Callas. Litza reluctantly took Maria in, but continued to reject her emotionally until the discovery of her voice.

When Litza saw Maria’s gift, everything began to revolve around developing her daughters’ talents. Despite money problems during the Great Depression, she forced George to pay for piano lessons. Receiving little love and much discipline from her mother, Maria pushed herself just as hard as her mother did, hoping to earn more affection.

Family division made life harder for Maria. Litza told the girls their father was betraying the family by cheating on her. Maria, stressed, began to overeat at an early age. Her weight problems would follow her for most of her life.
Maria was a lonely child, left by herself for many hours a day while her sister attended school and her mother suffered her bouts of melancholy…. At school she felt awkward, her eyesight – even with glasses – troubling. She was significantly heavy and shy. She made few friends and never knew in what emotional state she would find her mother upon returning from school. Her greatest joy was to sit quietly and listen to the few records they had on the gramophone (Edwards 12).

During junior high school, Maria played roles in school shows, gaining short periods of popularity. This “crystallized in Maria’s mind the vague notion that singing was the only way out of her despised obscurity” (Stassinopoulos 12). For what her mother had withheld, she had found a lesser substitute.

In 1934, neighbor John Eriksen, a chorus member at the Metropolitan Opera, offered to give Maria free singing lessons. He wanted to help Maria relax her voice and warned Litza that pushing Maria too hard could damage her voice. Litza continued to push her daughter. Maria’s vocal range and power expanded, but, as Eriksen predicted, the extra effort would take its toll on her voice later in life. The rest of her teachers would teach her the right singing techniques, but Maria would still push herself too hard. Her dreams of getting to the top fast would ruin her.
Certain that Maria was a child prodigy worthy of Shirley Temple treatment, Litza dragged Maria to competitions, but no offers came. Litza felt America had nothing in store. Convinced that glory days awaited them in Greece, she packed her bags. Maria, age 13, had just graduated from junior high.

Once in Greece, Litza pushed Maria harder, making her sing for anyone who would listen. Maria hated singing on demand, but all the work paid off when Maria auditioned with Madame Maria Trivella, a teacher at the National Conservatory in Athens. Maria sang the “Habanera” from Bizet’s Carmen, an opera about a gypsy who plays with the emotions of a soldier. “Madame Trivella was stunned… by the young woman’s dramatic delivery of the aria; her seeming ability to understand Carmen’s passion.… The amazing thing was the way she used her eyes, her hands, the stress on certain words and phrases that brought the aria suddenly to life. This was something innate, truly felt, which the majority of hopefuls never achieved but that a great diva must possess” (Edwards 21).

Trivella would teach Maria how to avoid singing from the throat. At the National Conservatory, she studied languages and operatic history. She took the extra work as an opportunity to avoid home, never eating with the family and studying whenever possible. In 1939, at just 15, Maria sang the role of Santuzza, a woman whose lover leaves her, in Pietro Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana.

With World War II on its way, Maria had to change teachers. Trivella came from Italy, and the Greeks mistrusted all Italians. Maria auditioned at the Athens Conservatory for Elvira de Hidalgo. De Hidalgo did not expect much from her, but her mind quickly changed. “Before starting, Maria turned her face away. Then, as the accompanist played the opening chords, she pivoted, head high, facing front, eyes wide, hands slowly rising from her sides. There was an electric moment in the room when Maria began to sing” (Edwards 30).

De Hidalgo enabled Maria to expand her range and helped her develop the tools of her voice, both dramatic and musical. Their relationship enforced Maria’s habit of categorizing others as good or bad. Litza turned into more of an “evil stepmother” and de Hidalgo turned into a “fairy godmother.” Maria developed most of her habits with de Hidalgo. De Hidalgo “lent her the full scores that she could not afford to buy, and Maria, in order to give them back as soon as possible, would memorize them” (Stassinopoulos 23,24).

In 1941, the Germans took Greece. Years of hardship followed in which Maria’s singing kept her family alive. Soldiers who liked her voice provided food. When the Germans searched her home for fugitives, she started to sing and the soldiers forgot what they were doing in order to listen. During the civil war that followed, Maria would hide with Litza, with little to eat, while rebels besieged Athens. These war years were not all hard times, however. In 1942, she took the place of the leading soprano in Tosca, making her the youngest Tosca in history.

Along with an end to the war years came a renewed resentment towards Litza. Callas hated her mother because she hated living in Greece. One thing was not renewed, however: The Athens Opera, with which Maria had sung during the occupation, would not renew her contract. Maria returned to New York and reunited with her father. She auditioned for many companies, but found no offers. No one had heard of her fame in Greece. In 1946, she found refuge in Eddie Bagarozy and Louise Caselotti. Caselotti gave her singing lessons and became Maria’s agent along with Bagarozy, who wanted to revive the Chicago Opera. They would open with Turandot, a forgotten Puccini opera with an oriental twist on The Taming of the Shrew. Maria played the title role. “At the age of twenty-three she had managed to capture both the imperious coldness and cruelty of the Oriental Princess and the fire and sensuality that are burning underneath” (Stassinopoulos 47). Unfortunately, bankruptcy ended the endeavor.
Maria found her next job with Giovanni Zenatello, who needed a soprano for the title role in La Gioconda at the Verona Festival in Italy. In Verona, Maria met Giovanni Battista Meneghini, her future husband. He had “a manner that conveyed interest, a certain sophistication and an aura of success” (Edwards 69). Maria threw away Bagarozy and Caselotti for Meneghini and soon won the role of Isolde in Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde at La Fenice, in Venice. She had a month to learn the part. Maria suddenly found herself booked at opera houses all over Italy. Part of that success came from conductor Tullio Serafin, who conducted Gioconda and many more of her successful operas. Maria later commented that he “taught me, in short, the depth of music” (qtd. in Edwards 72).

The ultimate turning point in her career came when she performed the title role in Norma, in Florence. The role required a wide vocal range and demanded much from the leading soprano. In this kind of a role, Maria was invincible. “Maria was the first coloratura [lyric soprano of high range]… to sing the high notes dramatically, not merely as ornamentation, nor to display her ability to sound like a trilling bird, but to stress the meaning of the words that landed on those notes and so integrate them into the dramatic line of the story” (Edwards 85).

While playing Brunnhilde in Wagner’s Die Walkure, Maria was asked to replace the soprano who played Elvira in Verdi’s I Puritani. She alternated between the two operas, practicing Puritani during the day and performing Walkure in the evening, switching from one character to another in just moments.

As her career improved, Maria became depressed. She wanted Meneghini to propose. He always accompanied her, but nothing more. Her wish came true and they married on April 21, 1949. Maria would later say in an interview with Hy Gardner, “It was as though God sent him to me, because I was very alone and he really was always with me since then and was everything to me.” Although Meneghini dined and wined Maria, he used her money to do so and gave some of her money to his own family, as well. They were happy, however, and Maria contented herself with the role of housewife. Meneghini at least appeared to love her and was the first to show affection for her as a person.

Meneghini booked Callas internationally, from Naples to Buenos Aires, and worked hard to schedule her in the famous Italian opera houses. She found national approval in Mexico City and had her first solo bow, but Meneghini seldom accompanied her and she missed him. When he playfully suggested that she give up her career, it reminded her of her goals and ambitions and drove her onward. She lost over eighty pounds between 1953 and 1954.

In May of 1953, she performed in Cherubini's Medea, one of her greater roles. In Medea, the title character is a headstrong woman abandoned by her husband. Maria Teresa Filippi Abriani, who sang in the chorus, was amazed by Callas’ singing. When the chorus left the stage, she stood watching, forgetting to leave with the chorus. “I remember when she arrived as Medea,” she said in the documentary Passion Callas. “She’d come down those stairs to that chariot. She’d sing: ‘Io Medea!’ That was something! She looked like a giant.”

Eventually, the New York Metropolitan Opera hired Maria to sing Norma. Things did not go well. TIME magazine published an article beforehand that portrayed her as an ungrateful daughter with a temper. Maria pushed these accusations aside, claiming that she respected her parents and that these things should have been kept private. In fact, on a few occasions, Maria had begged Litza to come to her side for support, but her times with her mother did not last long before she grew tired of Litza again. In Mexico City, she swore never to see her mother again.

New York did not hold much for Maria and exaggerated publicity continued to follow her. “A disagreement… over proposed repertory for 1958-59 ended with the diva's well-publicized ‘firing.’ Callas did not return to the Met until 1965, when she sang two Toscas, her final opera performances in the U.S.” (“Lucia di Lammermoor"). In 1958, Callas performed Norma at the Rome Opera House but took sick at the premiere and had to quit after the first act. Meneghini wrote a note of apology for her to read aloud on stage, but she did not read it. The press shouted stories of her diva attitude over a minor cold. Callas commented in her interview with Hy Gardner that she did the first act because she knew she would be criticized if she did not go on, but left when her illness worsened. She said, “I had to make a Callas performance…. Of course, I fight if I have my weapon, my only weapon is my voice – now, if I haven't got my voice, now, it's ridiculous that I fight.”

Maria would not let the critics or the hecklers in the audience ruin her. Jon Vickers recalled one of the performances at La Scala that he sang with her:
[I]t went badly for her. Many in the audience booed. Her next lines were, "Didn't I sacrifice my own mother for you, didn't I sacrifice my own father for you?" And then she turned away from me on the stage, looked straight out into the auditorium, spread open her arms and [sang], "I sacrificed it all, and instead gave everything to you!" You could have heard a pin drop -- the tension was incredible! (qtd. in Whitson)

More conflict was on its way. Once, she refused to do extra performances an opera company added on because she promised a friend she would go to a party. At this party, she met Aristotle Onassis. He wooed her and she gave up everything for him. Maria felt more like a normal person with him and divorced her husband in 1971. Onassis eventually divorced his wife, but not for Maria. He married Jacqueline Kennedy, widow of the late President John F. Kennedy, for political reasons.
After Onassis left, Maria stopped performing on stage and sang just a few concerts. In 1971, she gave a series of successful master classes at the Juilliard School of Music. Lloyd Schwartz attended one of the classes. He later recalled a lesson he found “most riveting.”

Callas was with a young baritone on Rigoletto's aria "Cortigiani, vil razza dannata" ("Courtiers, you cowardly and damned race"). Rigoletto, the Duke of Mantua's court jester, sings it when he discovers that his daughter has been abducted by the very noblemen he's been ridiculing mercilessly. He can barely contain his anger even as he abjectly begs them to take pity on him. Callas tells the student to sing the notes, but to forget about his voice. "Be like an animal when you sing this aria. This would be my version. I think that this should be a real animal that's trying to dominate himself. He's hating being obliged to beg them. Because it's his own daughter, so he's fiercely savage. . . . You're crying, but you hate the idea, eh?" Then she tears into the aria… with an uncanny mixture of ferocity and almost unbearable pathos…. "Who'd have thought the world's greatest Rigoletto would be a woman?" someone remarked.

Maria still had her fans, but her voice had been declining in quality for years, and she held high standards for herself. If she could not keep those standards, she would not perform. Her mother’s pushing, her own ambitions, and her choice in roles all had taken part in damaging her voice. Many of the superhuman things she did with her voice exceeded the ability of the vocal cords to heal. She ruined her voice by forcing it beyond its natural limits. She might have continued singing at a lesser level (less challenging music and a less challenging schedule), but the disappointments of life and the unwillingness to accept her declining ability destroyed her will. Without will and confidence, she lost the energy to meet the physical demands of the job as well as the energy to go on living life. There was nothing left to live for. Onassis was not there for her, she had left her husband, and her voice was gone. She wanted revenge on Onassis, but at the same time wanted him to come to her side again. Maria thought everyone had forgotten her and spent most of her time listening to old recordings of her voice. On September 16, 1977, at age 53, she died in seclusion, longing for the old times when her career was at its highest.

At the end of her life, Maria thought no one remembered her, but after her death, everyone remembered her. Although her talents established her fame, her story and her passions added fuel to the fire. Over one hundred biographies detail her life, along with several documentaries. The way she performed, the effort she put into everything she did, and the story she left behind made her the nonpareil, setting standards and examples for future singers. Maria’s life not only inspired her to sing, it inspired her singing itself as she used her circumstances to her advantage, drawing muse from her own feelings. Music consumed her life as she labored to conquer the opera world. Her loveless life gave her ambitions, and she accomplished them; but as she lost her dreams of love and emotional security, she lost her self. Her life had operatic twists and turns and a tragic ending, but it lives on as a legend.

Works Cited
Edwards, Anne. Maria Callas: an Intimate Biography. New York: St Martin's P, 2001.
Stassinopoulos, Adrianna. Maria Callas: The Woman Behind the Legend. New York: Ballantine Books, 1981.
Tommasini, Anthony. "Maria Callas: a Voice and a Legend That Still Fascinate." Serendipity. 15 Sept. 1997. New York Times. .
Maria Callas: Passion Callas. Dir. GéRald Caillat. DVD. EMI Classic, 1997.
“Lucia di Lammermoor." Opera News 71.7 (2007): 52-52. Academic Search Premier. 19 February 2007. .
Whitson, James C. "The Callas Legacy. (Cover story)." Opera News 70.4 (2005): 18-24. Academic Search Premier. 19 February 2007. .
Schwartz, Lloyd. "Class Act: EMI Releases Rare Set of Maria Callas At Juilliard." The Phoenix. 1995. The Phoenix Media/Communications Group. .
Callas, Maria. Interview with Hy Gardner. EMI Classics. 26 Feb. 1958. .