welcome to my wonderland

Well this is embarrassing. If for some reason you stumbled on this because you were tracking my overused username, I hope you enjoy the ramblings of a teenage Karen who was barely getting into high school.

Well... it seems like I may be restarting this blog again. Who knows? I just might. I do have my art blog, where I post more of my sketches and such, whereas I would post longer projects on here. Hopefully I can get this working again.

All thanks to Briea. Hi Briea. Text me Hiddlesworth when you're reading this.

Tonight, I'm missing All Time Low for the third time they've played a show in Anaheim (at least post-release of Nothing Personal) and it is really depressing. The first time I missed it was because I slept through the sale of the My Small Package Tour. The second time was (if memory serves) their tour with Yellowcard. Now I'm missing the Party At The End of the World Tour with The Summer Set (AND CONNOR AS THEIR MERCH)

It's bittersweet. I love this band so much because they have been the band made a huge impact in my life since seventh grade. They are the band that has calmed my nerves for the past five years. They are the band that gave me a few wonderful friendships that transcends distance. I could never thank All Time Low enough.

That being said, it is bittersweet because although I'm missing one of my favorite bands, I don't think I could handle seeing them again without Jessica by my side. I have to admit, Warped was outrageously fun. If I ignored the bitches that were standing in front of me acting all cool, it would have been perfect. I forgot how much I missed just being in the pit, even though it was a bit hard to see the boys perform, just jumping up and down and screaming the lyrics. Nothing ever beats that feeling and honestly that is the one thing I wanted all week. The feeling of absolute fun, being in an audience full of fellow fans, belting out the lyrics to the songs and forgetting about the world outside the venue walls.

Nevertheless, every time I've see All Time Low, I've seen them with Jessica. The first time being the Myspace Secret Show at Chain Reaction, even though we technically didn't go to see them together, we were in the same venue at the same show without even knowing. It was because of that show I started to talk to her. Then she invited me to the Glamour Kills tour the same year, giving me her spare ticket AND the meet and greet pass. She gave me the opportunity to meet my favorite band. It is a night I will never forget. It is the day we marked our anniversary too. November 8, 2010. The next time I saw them, it was the day after my birthday for the acoustic show at Tilly's. It was also the last time we saw them together but it is the band that brought us together (One Direction brought us even closer, but All Time Low is the band that started our friendship). It just wouldn't feel right not having her there with me.

It also doesn't help that The Summer Set is one of the openers and Jessica was the one that gave me their CD. Basically this tour was made for us but distance took the opportunity to see them again away from us.

Anyway, I hope whoever is at the show right now is having a blast. All Time Low is an amazing band and I love them.

I still need to purchase their new CD though.

Is it just me or when I read the title, I think of iDream of Dance, the iCarly episode?

Returning back to school, the one thing I was extremely excited to come back to was dance. It's always something I love to do, to be able to choreograph and dance with my friends. Granted, I didn't choreograph that much last year, but this year I am determined to change that. I've been so inspired by so much in the summer. Especially watching Step Up: Revolution. I have to say that it is the best Step Up movie by far. The dances just made me want to get up and take as many dances classes as I could. Then So You Think You Can Dance came back into my life... It's safe to say that I'm inspired so much. I don't know how to put it into words. Best thing is to post some of my favorite photos from my favorite pieces. The photos don't do the dances justice at all.

This movie is just brilliant. I think I may go purchase the DVD when it comes out... or ask my mom. Aha! (Photo credits to Tumblr and Google)



Compared to old seasons that I've been rewatching, this season of SYTYCD has been a bit lacking. Although my favorite guy at the moment is Cohen while girl would be Witney or Audrey--even if Audrey just got eliminated. She was so adorable! Nevertheless, Melanie and Marko's "I Got You" dance has got me hooked. It is my main inspiration for one of the pieces that I'm working on right now. Now to find some girl power inspiration for another dance.

Au revoir!

Before I leave though, when it comes to dance, Olivia "Chachi" Gonzales will forever be my inspiration. She may be a year younger than me but that only fuels my desire. She is such an amazing dancer and so free-spirited. I admire so much about it.

I'm probably killing myself just going into AP Literature this coming school year, but personally I think it is better than AP Rhet, so here I go. I should have started the summer work earlier, but it really doesn't matter. I was having a fun summer and I still am, but now I have to start cracking down and working. I'm starting with Hamlet.

I always find myself getting distracted when I read Shakespeare. I have my mom's Kindle Fire in front of me, with Act I, Scene II ready to read, yet instead I find myself blogging. Why? Like I mentioned, I get distracted. I remember how long it took me to read The Great Gatsby last summer. Although I fell in love with the book, it wasn't until I had faces to the names in the story that the wonderful book finally grabbed my attention. Anyone else excited for the movie coming out in December? Because I am. So this is my plan... put some faces to the various names of Hamlet. That and my photoshop has been open for awhile and feeling very neglected. I promise, once I finish this post, I will go back to reading. I promise.

My Ophelia would be played by Freya Mavor. She was the first girl to come to my mind and personally I think she would be a wonderful Ophelia. Then again, I haven't gotten to a scene with Ophelia yet, but Kate Winslet did play Ophelia in the 1996 film, and Kate and Freya do have a slight resemblance. Hm... now that I think about it, Emilia Clark would also be a wonderful Ophelia.


The leading man would be played with Joe Dempsie. Maybe because I'm having Gendry withdrawals (which reminds me, I still need to finish the second season of Game of Thrones). Nevertheless, I think that Joe fits the role of Hamlet well... I think. From what I've read, Joe seems to fit the character well.

Now that I think about it, I could just put GoT characters as Hamlet and it would work. Too bad my baby, Arya, would not fit in. Nor would Bran.


From Magneto to Mr. Rochester, I have a feeling that if there was to be another Hamlet movie, Michael Fassbender would make a wonderful King Claudius. He can easily pretend to show no remorse for being the one to have killed King Hamlet, yet act out the crazy king willing to do anything to keep his crown.


I'm a bit bias when I came to picking the late King Hamlet. I kind of just went for someone who looked like an older Joe... and that lead me to Viggo. Which reminds me... I really should start the LoTR trilogy. I want to see Martin Freeman in the Hobbit so badly.


The wonderful Joseph Morgan as Laertes seems fitting enough. Although Joseph doesn't really look like a complete follower, he has been shown well as Klaus in TVD to be a man of vengeance.

For now, that will be it. I know I still have a casting for Gertrude, Polonius, Horatio, and various more (damn 18 character play). I might get to it. I really need to get back to reading.

I guess it is time to actually update this. I really don't have much to update that isn't One Direction or summer... and I personally don't have much to comment on that other than posting pictures. I want to keep this relatively interesting.

I've said this time and time again, but I will always be true. Dance concerts are the highlights of my school year and I feel completely honored to be able to participate in my third dance concert performance last night and tonight.

There are times when I take my role in my dance class for granted, but it is the concert that makes me realize that my hard work really does pay off. Hours upon hours of work and sweat in an audition, then being able to share the stage with all these other amazing dances... I don't know what is better. Especially now that I know how much hard work it really takes to choreograph your own dance and have to perform it on stage. Whether or not people noticed how much we screwed up, we fucking killed it. I put my heart out on that stage.

Sadly, this concert is also the seniors' last dance concert at school. I remember the first dance concert I attended, the one dance that I remember is Clay and Kelley's. I remember telling Danielle "I can't stand being in the audience, I want to be on that stage." So thank you, Clay. Thank you so much for inspiring me to join the dance program. I doubt I will ever get to tell you that, but you are the reason I applied for beginning dance for my sophomore year. Thank you for being the one that helped me start this all off. Maybe one day I'll get to tell you... hopefully.

Every single senior this year, to the ones I've become friends with to the ones I've admired from afar, you all have inspired me to try my hardest. Ann, Renee, Sylvia, you three all started out just like me, a sophomore in beginning dance. Now each of your are in Advanced and after this month, moving on from your high school career. You three give me the hope that I can and will improve with time. You each have inspired me to try my hardest whether it is just a small dance in class or performing to a full house of friends and family. I could never thank you enough for what you've helped me do.

To the girls and guys in beginning dance. You may have annoyed me to the point where I wanted to punch you, but I truly wish that each one of you tries to take dance once again. It is such a rewarding class, physically and mentally. You make friends and memories that you will cherish for years to come. Do not take what you get for granted. I understand that the dances are not as sophisticated as you wish them to be, but what matters is that you perform with all you got, whether you only have one dance, or five. To Danielle, Sarah, and Joey... I am immensely proud to have been able to share the stage with you three. Having my friends cheer my on from backstage and sidestage is as rewarding as hearing my name being shouted out in the crowd. I love you three and I cannot wait for another dance concert.

To my Intermediate Dance Class, you guys have become my family this year. From everything we've been through, that one hour in class means the world to me. Going to dance every day was my escape from the world outside that door. Whatever troubles I had, whatever problems I had to deal with, I left it outside. Thank you for sharing that world with me. To Rochelle, Megan, Emily, Kayla, Tiffany, Ploy, and Cheyenne, you girls prove to me that I can have a true family. I never felt accepted unless I was with you. Thank you so much for being there with me. I really do love you all.

Finally, to Ms. L. Thank you for seeing the potential in me. Not only just accepting me into beginning dance, but also believing that I could make it in Intermediate. Thank you for taking Swagger Jagger/Detention in the concert. You are my favorite teacher on campus and always will be.

This years dance concerts are over... and I have one more year to go. I will make it count.