March 2009 Archives

Today is one of those days were I am forced to wonder if we really need rain to survive. I know we need water and plants and all, but it seems like the rain ruins everything. It's so cold and wet outside. All plans for activities outside have to be canceled, and we are forced to move indoors. I have to go see my cousin's high school play instead of getting to play in a softball tournament. That's really not cool. To make it worse, just three weeks ago I was in bright, sunny Florida soaking in the sun. I miss it! I am beyond ready for Summer!

I came to a couple of conclusions today.

1. Everyone should make a tye dyed shirt

2. Prom is too much planning

3. Dad's should never, and I mean NEVER, try to pick out clothes

With such a dramatic episode last night and only five episodes left until the Season Finale, I believe it's time to start predicting the future and reviewing the past of our dear Desperate Housewives.

By JENNIFER VOGELSONG

Daily Record/Sunday News

Oh, to live in the Italian countryside, sipping wine and gazing at fields of olive trees...

To travel to Florence or Milan and be in the throes of fashion...

To shop at markets with fresh mozzarella and hand-blown glass from Venice...

Or maybe you'd rather live down under, hopping through life like a kangaroo, learning to speak like a mate and hang out on the beach, surfing your life away?

Who doesn't fantasize about packing up and moving to the Caribbean island where they vacationed last? Who hasn't wondered what it would be like to live somewhere else?

This month, we asked members of the York Daily Record/Sunday News' Teen Takeover staff -- and a guest from abroad -- to tell us where they'd live if they could live in any country.

Their responses ranged from the "home sweet home" variety to some serious wanna-be wanderers. Read what they had to say below.

Wow. Two weekends. Six shows. When Red Lion does a musical, we do it right. Not saying other school's are bad, and not to talk my school up, but really, if you saw our show, you have to say it was rockin. We had professional lighting, just like on Broadway, our actors and actresses that are seniors are mostly all going off to an acting school, and we just plain rock.

Today I visited the University of Delaware. The campus was really pretty. We went on a walking tour and even though I was freezing, I enjoyed it. You could really tell how proud everyone was of their school.

I thoroughly enjoy this video.

As I approached the purse section of the quintessentially teenage store, I was pleased to see that a few organic cotton tote bags with decals of phrases about being green were included in the collection. I picked up a bag to admire, and that's when I saw it - a tag bearing the words "Made in China."

Arabesque. Grand jete. Develope. Chasse. For dance instructor Charlee Zamudio-Fidler these are just a few words that have become part of her vocabulary because of how often she uses them.
Zamudio-Fidler works at the well-regarded York Area Repertoire of Dance where she is a valued dance instructor.
At the age of 30, she is well-versed in many forms of dance, from ballet to jazz.
She has a strong passion for contemporary, modern and lyrical dancing as well. She's loved dancing since she was 5 years old.
"Dancing is all I've ever loved," said Zamudio-Fidler. "It's all I've ever done because I love music and moving, nothing else."
She started dancing as a student at the School of Music and Dance in Hanover, then moved to Chicago in 2001 to further her dancing experience. She began seriously instructing in 2005.
As a teen, she attended Hanover High School, but also took dance classes in the magnet program at William Penn Senior High School. She continued her education at Barat College in Lake Forest, Illinois where she got her Bachelor of Arts in Dance with a concentration in ballet and modern dance. Besides instructing at the York Area Repertoire of Dance, she also teaches dance at William Penn. Her favorite part of teaching at William Penn is the challenge of getting students who know nothing about dance to love it.
"I love getting students to appreciate the art of dance, and then helping them learn and better themselves," said Zamudio-Fidler
She draws inspiration from her students, the fun of choreographing the musicals for William Penn, and from attending dance conventions. Some of her role models are famous dance instructors Mia Michaels, Chris Judd and Rudolf Nureyev (Sue: these names are all CQ).
Michaels and Judd are dancers who headline The Pulse Dance Convention at which dancers from all over the nation come to work with the greats of the dance world. Rudolf Nureyev was like a god in the world of ballet and Zamudio-Fidler highly regards and admires him.
In the future, she would like to go back to college and achieve her master's in dance History. She believes that dance is always evolving, and it is important to reinvent oneself.
Her advice to anyone who aspires to dance is, "Learn every form you can, step outside yourself, try them all and stay well-rounded. Also, stay in school."

Daniel Gay
Junior, Christian School of York

How did you become interested in films/movie production?I started playing around with movie programs and started posting movies on YouTube. I decided that I might want to try that for a career, so I went to a film camp at UCLA.

What was it like to attend the film camp at UCLA?
I didn't know what to expect. Mainly it just gave you the experience of what it would be like to study in college. Classwise, we took things on movie history and genre and how to get your story across in different genres. I built pretty good relationships with the professors, and I still contact my professors and they help me out with questions I have about the industry or college.

Imagine going to work and seeing every color of the rainbow. There are reds, blues, yellows, pinks, and purples of every shade and kind. Imagine the smell of a thousand fresh roses sitting right in front of your nose. That is the reality for one Central York High School teenager.
"I love the emotion, when someone sends flowers to the person they love, that's my favorite part," Erika Felty, 15, said about her job at Royers Flowers and Gifts in Springettsbury.

This sophomore is a saleswoman and is charge of the front of the shop. She takes care of customers, takes and processes orders, and cleans. Felty normally works 15 to 20 hours a week after school and on Saturdays.

Felty expressed that she is happy to be making some money of her own.
"I normally save half and spend half."

When asked about why she enjoys working with flowers, Felty said that it brings her joy to see people excited to surprise a friend, loved one, or relative with a beautiful bouquet.

Flowers do not always bring a pleasant experience.

"I hate the funerals," she said, "it's so hard to see people cry when they are arranging for flowers for a funeral."

The best time of the year for this teen is the Christmas and winter holiday season.

She said that her best day at work occurred a about week before Christmas. All of her costumers were very happy and cheerful -- no one was stressed out. There were very few complaints and everyone seemed very relaxed.

"My favorite flower?" Felty said, "definitely an orchid or a Gerberadaisy."

Here comes the bride!

Goodbye monotonous R&B and pop styles, hello fresh talent.

Marley is the world's worst dog. He destroys an entire garage in the matter of hours, he swallows a new necklace and undergarments, and he even gets expelled from obedience class. Yet he is still an aborable and lovable Lab.

John Grogan portrays the animal-human bond and life with a dog perfectly in "Marley and Me." He tells the biographical story of how he, his wife, Jenny, and their dog, Marley, get through life together.

The book begins...

All teenagers should have fun partying and socializing.
In three months Amy Juergens, played by actress Shailene Woodley, won't be living that life. Amy will be a mother of a child who was conceived accidentally. Amy is 15 and, unfortunately, she is following in the footsteps of her soon-to-be divorced parents.
Often, when people like to talk about "The Secret Life of the American Teenager," they say that Amy doesn't fit the description of the "pregnant teen" even though in reality pregnant teens are fairly common. Brenda Hampton, who also wrote another ABC Family hit, "7th Heaven," writes this year's break out hit "The Secret Life,". In which is based on a real teenage girls' stories. The storyline is very addictive. Each episode leaves you and wanting to know what happens next. The emotional attachment grows to each character every time it airs.
The father of Amy's child is Ricky Underwood played by Daren Kagasoff. Ricky is the lead drummer in the school's marching band who preys on younger girls. He is trying to escape his own drama with his family. In the end Ricky comes around to realizing that he has to take responsibility for his actions. Amy tries to forget about the pregnancy by getting married to her new boyfriend, Ben Boykewich. He is so in love with Amy it's almost unhealthy. It is sad that Amy is marrying him just to get out of her problems. Later, Ben and Amy learn they aren't as fit to be together as they thought. Amy is caught between two choices: Raising the baby herself which would cost too much money for a 15-year-old or raising the baby together with the father who needs help in his own life as it is. Amy's friends in the show stand by her even as her life falls apart.
Every girl should watch this show because it lets us peek into the real drama of a teenage mother instead of believing the drama and lies of what others say. Its not just TV it's birth control.
"The Secret Life of the American Teenager" airs 8 p.m. Monday on ABC Family.

-- Reviewed by MELANIE CRISAMORE, York Catholic High School

America recently celebrated the Oscars, but I would like to acknowledge the stars that went unmentioned. The stars that made the future of Hollywood possible. The ones that serve as a role model for all other actors to come. These five stars come from the era of Hollywood's beginnings and are the greatest of all time.

1. Starring in more than 100 films, Bette Davis enjoyed a 60-year-long career, becoming the first women to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. Although her early years in Hollywood were rocky, Davis managed a seven-year contract with Warner Brothers, debuting her successful future. Davis won two Oscars for Best Actress: the first for "Dangerous" (1935), the second for "Jezebel" (1938). She was known for her fresh ideas and independent, strong demeanor that brought femininity to a male-dominated world. She also gave money to the war, winning the Distinguished Service Medal for her service.

2. After a difficult childhood, Joan Crawford realized she wanted to become a star. Although, when she found her way to Hollywood at age 20, she lived in constant fear of rejection. At age 23 she starred in "Our Dancing Daughters" (1928) and won her long-anticipated fame. She remained in Hollywood's limelight, bringing drama and flare. But as she aged her celebrity dwindled, and "Mildred Pierce" (1945) was her last hope. She delivered a powerful performance, winning her only Academy Award. Her dramatic act renewed her fame.

3. Born in England, Cary Grant was always capable of fluttering woman's hearts with his suave British accent and charming good looks. He typically played the role of an ordinary, yet handsome, bachelor in romantic comedies, such as "The Philadelphia Story" (1940). After befriending famous director Alfred Hitchcock, Grant starred in several of Hitchcock's thrillers, including "North by Northwest" (1959). Grant endured a life-long feud with the academy, and did not win an Oscar until he accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award at the end of his career. Grant also donated a large portion of his financial success to the British and American war efforts.

4. Before film, actor Jimmy Stewart went to Princeton University, earning a degree in architecture. By some fate he wound up in Hollywood, eventually starring in one of the most significant films in history: "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946). Stewart won 25 Oscars and starred in films including "Rear Window" (1954) and "Harvey" (1950). He tended to play the honest good guy, until after 1950, when his characters became cynical. In reality, Stewart was the simple guy, never desiring fancy cars or a glamorous lifestyle.

5. Born in Nebraska, Henry Fonda began his acting career with a local, amateur theater group. Fonda later moved to Broadway, then to Hollywood, with the show-turned-film "The Farmer Takes a Wife" in 1935. Throughout a career of 50 years, Fonda won 14 Oscars and became known as an "old-time legend" for his roles in films such as "The Grapes of Wrath" (1940), and "Young Mr. Lincoln" (1939). He was known for his carefree gait and heroic character seeking justice in the world.

Source: www.imdb.com and www.bettedavis.com

Israeli Defense Force Reserve Major Elliot Chodoff, a Middle East scholar and military strategist, spoke at the York Jewish Community Center in January about the Gaza conflict. Here are a few major facts he stressed that are essential to understanding Israel's position, especially in light of the recent media bias against Israel.

January 16:
Anxious, as defined by Webster's Dictionary, is "troubled in mind or worried at some uncertain matter or event."
For the past month, I have been thinking I am "anxious."
However:
...troubled?
...worried?
...uncertain?
These adjectives do not describe how I feel at all! Maybe the word "eager" is more appropriate: "enthusiastic interest," "great desire." That's more like it.
Honestly, I have been eagerly waiting to see Sonny Moore, ex-From First to Last front man and current solo artist, in the flesh for more than four long years.
In two days, I will be blessed with the opportunity. I am attending his show in Baltimore.

(this is Sonny. I made the picture all cool looking.)

I just finished a drawing of Kate Winslet. One that I am very proud of. And since no one is here to share in my excitement, I thought I'd just throw this out there. :)

Oh and by the way, if anyone who hasn't had a chance GETS a chance to see Slumdog Millionaire any time soon, I'd highly recommend it! One of the best feel-good movies I've seen lately.

The world is constantly looking for a way to help those in Africa affected by HIV, and thanks to Redwire.com, everyone can easily help to make a difference.

One of the many brilliant ideas associated with the (RED) campaign, created by U2's Bono and Bobby Shriver, (RED)Wire is an easily attainable online magazine. Weekly issues contain an exceptionalsong by a major recording artist and one by a developing talent, a small slideshow, video or reading, and an update of those being helped in Africa.