I graduated from Henry D Sheldon High School on June 8, 2006. At the point of my graduation I had 42 credits (you need 23 to graduate), 4 years of IHS under my belt, 7 terms of Photography, and (most importantly) I had never missed a single Pep Band game in four years. Now, many would think that the 4 years of IHS would be far more important, but for me and my life in high school, it was Basketball Pep Band (I don't think I ever missed a football game either, even before I was in marching band) that made me who I was. So, almost two years later, I went back for the first time. And along with screaming so hard my lungs actually hurt, I realized a few things about myself.
The first story I have to tell you starts outside the high school. Because I am a loser who hasn't gotten her driver's license yet (mock accordingly if you like), my mother drove me to Henry D Sheldon High School, which I suppose I could now call My Alma Mater. Getting out of the car I said goodbye, grabbed my purse, and proceeded to walk towards the all-too-familiar band room door. After taking a few steps I hear my mother shout "Hey! Don't you need your instrument?" Yep, that's right. After fours years of having my instrument safely tucked into the band room shelves, I completely forgot that I no longer attended that school, and that my instrument was, in fact, in the trunk of our Volkswagen Beetle. So, even though I am approaching 20 years old, for about 30 seconds I completely forgot I was no longer in high school. But let me tell you, that was the last time I forgot my age.
So I walked into the band room, and the first thing I realized was that I didn't know 75% of the people there. It was a very uncomfortable feeling, because for four years I knew EVERYONE. But, of course, I immediately spotted a very familiar face, my comrade-in-arms, Mr. Josh Wilkinson. You see, Josh was one of the only other people in my graduating class who had never missed a game, so it was fitting that he would be there with me. So, after a brief rehearsal in the band room (which, let me just say, hasn't changed at all), we triumphantly marched out to Sheldon's basketball court.
The first thing I noticed about the basketball court was that the signage had changed ever so slightly. The thing is, when I was in high school, Sheldon was a part of the 4A league. Last year the decision was made that Sheldon would be a part of the newly formed 6A league*, so the signs that used to declare the other teams in the 4J district, along with schools from Springfield and Medford and places like that, were now showing names of teams that I had never even heard of.
*This decision was very stupid, but it didn't change that fact that Sheldon kicks a lot of ass. Their football team took state this year, so clearly they're awesome no matter which league you stick them in. Go Irish.
It was at this point that I realized exactly how old I was. While I enjoyed shouting things at the team, and joking with the few friends that I still have in high school, I realized that high school humor is no longer something I find that funny. I also realized that the very obscene things that the OMB and OBB shout at various sporting events were not appropriate in the slightest, which lowered the fun factor ever so slightly (the Alex Poole classic "your mother dresses you funny" did come in handy, however). And apart from having trouble refraining from shouting very profane things, I had massive trouble remember to shout "GO IRISH!" instead of "GO DUCKS!" (ironically, I had a reverse problem at my first Ducks football game).
So, 2 glorious years after my exit from the public school system (though I suppose U of O is still a public school, but whatever), I found myself back on my old turf. And while I can still play my high school's fight song without looking at the music, and even though being at a basketball game still gives me a craving for Junior Mints, and despite the fact that being on those bleachers still scares the living shit out of me, I know now that I am a college girl through and through. Yes, basketball band shaped who I was in high school and introduced me to some of my closest friends, but it's not me anymore. Seeing those kids made me happy because I know that most of them probably feel the same way I do about it, but even more so because I realized that I am no longer one of them. Which is slighlty sad, but very uplifting. Seeing what I used to be made me feel that much better about what I am. Once again, Go Irish. Or Ducks. Whichever.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Sunday, January 6, 2008
One should never go to a party empty-handed
After a very long wait (aka, two weeks after the nationwide release date), I was prepped and psyched to go see Juno, the newest installment in a very exciting series* of intelligent comedies that have been released recently. While most studios choose to put out crap like White Chicks, RV, and Little Man, many (generally independent) studios seem to be choosing to release far more interesting and intellectual comedies. Case in point, Knocked Up, Stranger than Fiction, Superbad (which despite in-your-face vulgarity, genuinely captures the insecurity and vulnerability of the high school geek), and the recent Academy Award winner and Best Picture nominee Little Miss Sunshine. As an avid movie lover (and admitted fan of the occasional "stupid comedy"), I am very excited to see that filmmakers seem to be making a return to a John Hughes-like approach to humor: using true, human emotion, and intermixing humorous situations that are more plausible than ridiculous.
*I use the term series because, even though most of these movies have no intended plot connections, they often share producers, actors, and directors. For example, Judd Apatow and his crew (including Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill), have had a heavy hand not only in recent favorites Superbad, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, and Anchorman, but Apatow also had creative power in the cult TV classic, Freaks and Geeks. "Series" does not imply that the movies go in sequence, or that the characters all know each other. It just implies that they all have a similar outlook: that the outsider is just as, if not more, beautiful than the "perfect" molds of "people" in many movies.
That being said, I have been waiting to see Juno since seeing the first trailer I don't know how long ago. A movie about a cute 16-year-old who gets pregnant after her first sexual encounter and then decides to give the baby to a homogenized suburban couple? Sounds like a good time. And the fact that Michael Cera plays the awkward, lanky, unlikely so-and-so who impregnates our heroine just makes the movie that much more appealing. But what I was really excited about wasn't the cast, but the simple yet undeniably brilliant idea of taking a situation which is already uncomfortable and painful to watch (high school for anyone who is different), and adding the ultimate discomfort (pregnancy). So, here's a recap. Michael Cera, Ellen Page, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, and Allison Janney in a movie about a girl who is maybe slightly larger than myself (about 5'4" and 115 lbs. after a rainstorm) who ends up pregnant after one carnal adventure with perhaps the most awkward kid since Anthony Michael Hall. What more could you ask for as far as humorous situations go? Very little. All in all, Juno looked to be a recipe for excellence. But in turns out that while being rather funny, Juno isn't your ordinary high school comedy. After seeing the movie that I waited so long for, I walked out of the theatre feeling a blend of emotions I was not expecting. The great thing about Juno was that, while being witty and hilarious, it was also truly heartfelt and honest.
When I went into the thatre, I did not expect that the movie would be dealing with adoption so heavily, and as someone who is adpoted, I was very happy to see a movie that dealt with unwanted pregnancy with adoption as opposed to abortion or the "well, we got pregnant so now we have to get married" mentality (no offense to Knocked Up). In a world (and a country) where teen pregnancy is a growing issue, it's kind of refreshing to encounter a movie that approaches the scenario from a "let's deal with this in a way that's going to make someone elses life better" perspective. Having heard the story of my own adoption, and knowing full well the impact it had on my family's lives, I had serious trouble keeping myself from sobbing loudly from the middle row when the film reached its climax.
I'm not saying that I want to see the end of movies like that capitalize on cheap laughs and shallow storylines, I'm the first to admit that when I'm in a bad mood I turn to that kind of thing. But walking out of Juno I had an influx of confidence in the future of American film. I had a similar feeling walking out of Stranger than Fiction and Little Miss Sunshine last year. I like a hearty laugh, I really do. But at the end of Juno I was even more satisfied because not only did I laugh, I felt. And that, above all, is what movies are all about.
*I use the term series because, even though most of these movies have no intended plot connections, they often share producers, actors, and directors. For example, Judd Apatow and his crew (including Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill), have had a heavy hand not only in recent favorites Superbad, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, and Anchorman, but Apatow also had creative power in the cult TV classic, Freaks and Geeks. "Series" does not imply that the movies go in sequence, or that the characters all know each other. It just implies that they all have a similar outlook: that the outsider is just as, if not more, beautiful than the "perfect" molds of "people" in many movies.
That being said, I have been waiting to see Juno since seeing the first trailer I don't know how long ago. A movie about a cute 16-year-old who gets pregnant after her first sexual encounter and then decides to give the baby to a homogenized suburban couple? Sounds like a good time. And the fact that Michael Cera plays the awkward, lanky, unlikely so-and-so who impregnates our heroine just makes the movie that much more appealing. But what I was really excited about wasn't the cast, but the simple yet undeniably brilliant idea of taking a situation which is already uncomfortable and painful to watch (high school for anyone who is different), and adding the ultimate discomfort (pregnancy). So, here's a recap. Michael Cera, Ellen Page, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, and Allison Janney in a movie about a girl who is maybe slightly larger than myself (about 5'4" and 115 lbs. after a rainstorm) who ends up pregnant after one carnal adventure with perhaps the most awkward kid since Anthony Michael Hall. What more could you ask for as far as humorous situations go? Very little. All in all, Juno looked to be a recipe for excellence. But in turns out that while being rather funny, Juno isn't your ordinary high school comedy. After seeing the movie that I waited so long for, I walked out of the theatre feeling a blend of emotions I was not expecting. The great thing about Juno was that, while being witty and hilarious, it was also truly heartfelt and honest.
When I went into the thatre, I did not expect that the movie would be dealing with adoption so heavily, and as someone who is adpoted, I was very happy to see a movie that dealt with unwanted pregnancy with adoption as opposed to abortion or the "well, we got pregnant so now we have to get married" mentality (no offense to Knocked Up). In a world (and a country) where teen pregnancy is a growing issue, it's kind of refreshing to encounter a movie that approaches the scenario from a "let's deal with this in a way that's going to make someone elses life better" perspective. Having heard the story of my own adoption, and knowing full well the impact it had on my family's lives, I had serious trouble keeping myself from sobbing loudly from the middle row when the film reached its climax.
I'm not saying that I want to see the end of movies like that capitalize on cheap laughs and shallow storylines, I'm the first to admit that when I'm in a bad mood I turn to that kind of thing. But walking out of Juno I had an influx of confidence in the future of American film. I had a similar feeling walking out of Stranger than Fiction and Little Miss Sunshine last year. I like a hearty laugh, I really do. But at the end of Juno I was even more satisfied because not only did I laugh, I felt. And that, above all, is what movies are all about.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
If you are chilly, here take my sweater
It is a new year. 2008. I've decided that I really love to write, and I don't spend nearly enough time doing it, so I'm going to take a leaf out of the book of Mr. Truman Capps and start myself a blog. And seeing as we are just inside the door of a new year, I've decided to reflect on the last year and all the things that went great, and all the things that went wrong. So here we go.
1. Transfer from UW to UO: Seriously, who saw this coming? Anyone? I didn't think so. But this massive development actually worked out great. After joining the OMB, which is one of the greatest groups I've ever been a part of, I realized that a strong group of people was one of the major things that had been missing in my life. I now have friends that I honestly believe I will have not only throughout college, but my life. I am planning on being a part of the OMB throughout my time at the University of Oregon, and I am very excited about it. My change of school also prompted a change of major, which brings me to big development number 2.
2. Decision to become an English Major: Throughout my senior year of high school and my freshman year of college I had it in my head that I was going to be a Photography major. Not anymore. After a crushing defeat at the hands of the University of Washington Photography Department (aka, the demons of hell), I realized that I love English Literature way more than any person should, and I should just dedicate my life to it. So I am currently studying English Literature with the intent of going to graduate school and studying film. I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "Caroline, what in God's name are you going to do with that?" I have an answer. I am going to be a screenwriter. I plan on writing adapted screenplays based on the books that I love and I think would make great movies. It's a little egotistical and self-indulgent, but I feel like it's a very good path for me. So I am pumped. I'm starting with Invisible Monsters, and I'm starting this year.
3. Studying abroad in Italy: I spent 2 1/2 months in Rome. It was rather odd. I left with severe allergies, a stomach virus, far less money that I got there with, and a tattoo on my lower back. I realized that while Rome is rather interesting, I love Paris (I spent a weekend there), and Switzerland is the closest thing to Heaven I've ever experienced (despite severe allergies...). I learned Italian enough to be conversational, and promptly decided that I was going to start learning French. Again...go figure. It's been a strange year.
4. Relationship rollercoaster: At the beginning of the year I left a relationship that was, shall we say, a relation-shit. I followed it up with copious amounts of alcohol and moderate depression. However, on Halloween a miracle occurred and I met someone who has made my life very very good. After about a month of awkwardness I grew a pair and told him how much I liked him, and after about a week I found myself in a relationship that is so good that sometimes I don't believe it's real. But it is, and I couldn't be happier.
So, overall, it's been a pretty good year. As is any year in my life, it's been fairly odd, but I can deal with that. I just hope the rest of this year goes the same way the last one ended.
1. Transfer from UW to UO: Seriously, who saw this coming? Anyone? I didn't think so. But this massive development actually worked out great. After joining the OMB, which is one of the greatest groups I've ever been a part of, I realized that a strong group of people was one of the major things that had been missing in my life. I now have friends that I honestly believe I will have not only throughout college, but my life. I am planning on being a part of the OMB throughout my time at the University of Oregon, and I am very excited about it. My change of school also prompted a change of major, which brings me to big development number 2.
2. Decision to become an English Major: Throughout my senior year of high school and my freshman year of college I had it in my head that I was going to be a Photography major. Not anymore. After a crushing defeat at the hands of the University of Washington Photography Department (aka, the demons of hell), I realized that I love English Literature way more than any person should, and I should just dedicate my life to it. So I am currently studying English Literature with the intent of going to graduate school and studying film. I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "Caroline, what in God's name are you going to do with that?" I have an answer. I am going to be a screenwriter. I plan on writing adapted screenplays based on the books that I love and I think would make great movies. It's a little egotistical and self-indulgent, but I feel like it's a very good path for me. So I am pumped. I'm starting with Invisible Monsters, and I'm starting this year.
3. Studying abroad in Italy: I spent 2 1/2 months in Rome. It was rather odd. I left with severe allergies, a stomach virus, far less money that I got there with, and a tattoo on my lower back. I realized that while Rome is rather interesting, I love Paris (I spent a weekend there), and Switzerland is the closest thing to Heaven I've ever experienced (despite severe allergies...). I learned Italian enough to be conversational, and promptly decided that I was going to start learning French. Again...go figure. It's been a strange year.
4. Relationship rollercoaster: At the beginning of the year I left a relationship that was, shall we say, a relation-shit. I followed it up with copious amounts of alcohol and moderate depression. However, on Halloween a miracle occurred and I met someone who has made my life very very good. After about a month of awkwardness I grew a pair and told him how much I liked him, and after about a week I found myself in a relationship that is so good that sometimes I don't believe it's real. But it is, and I couldn't be happier.
So, overall, it's been a pretty good year. As is any year in my life, it's been fairly odd, but I can deal with that. I just hope the rest of this year goes the same way the last one ended.
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