grapes

The first time I wrote this post it was accidentally destroyed in the process of installing a memory card in my phone, so guess what lucky butts? you get a less rambly post! Huzzah. But unlike the Men’s Wearhouse, I can’t guarantee anything.

Main event of the day that must be recorded for posterity. Feel free to bring back the image of old Grapes in her rocking chair surrounded by Spawn of Spawn of Grapes, reading their grandmother’s old blog. Maybe I should keep a real journal, just so that one day some kid will find it and have that experience of finding someone’s journal. I’m guessing that that’s going to be pretty obsolete in the future.

The main event. Today’s conference for the career development class where we talked about our careers and our internship experiences. Watching the audience as we droned on and on, I noticed a difference between the majority of our peers, and ourselves. I think that this class was comprised of old souls, in a way. We all really care about our future. Genuinely.

The audience, to be frank, seemed apathetic. As an audience member, I would have been paying attention, even if we did go on and on, because I would want to know anything that could help me.

In picking this class, I feel like the teachers looked for people who really wanted to do something for their own sake, not because it looked good for college. We may never talk to each other again, but I felt like we really got along, because of our maturity.

The rest of our peers are in their little boxes of ignorance, basically. I hate to be so cynical about my own generation, and I hate to sound like a grouchy old man or a certain fragile math teacher, but it bothers me. Especially after Miya sang “Come Fly With Me” and I said, “I like that song.” I wondered why there was a slight hesitation for me to say that, and I think that it was because it was weird to like old songs. But I’m glad I’m losing my hesitation on a lot of things.

Anyway, with the exception of a few, most of my classmates listen only to current music. No one opens their minds to other things, like classical music, or even Frank Sinatra. Heck, even people still alive like Bob Dylan. Ask anyone right now, and even though they go to the number one high school in California, they will tell you Bob Dylan is the guy from the Pepsi commercial during the Superbowl. It makes me want to dunk them into What-the-Rest-of-the-World-Already-Knows 101.

I get that “Gossip Girl” is entertaining and relaxing, but what is life if we don’t stimulate our minds, make ourselves think? What is it without feeling different emotions that don’t really belong to us? Recently, while I was changing in PE, I was forced to listen to “Birthday Sex”. If it were a nice, catchy melody, I’d understand why it’s so recently popular. But it’s a horrible melody. It’s a guy, saying “birthday sex” over and over in the same tune, and with that ghetto accent rappers love to have, where they say “birrrrrtday sex” instead.

What genius came up with this concept? I feel like we’ve reached the lowest point of human society when we have a song about sex on one’s birthday. There’s a reason people become elitist.

Anyway, you’re here for the happy happy stuff. I recently met with a Whitney alum who asked me to say hi to an old English teacher who still teaches here. Being the sort of person who takes these kinds of requests seriously, (although this may be really naive of me) I figured I had a lot to gain just from talking to the English teacher, so I went and passed on her message.

Amazingly, he remembered her. Then we talked about “Bottle Shock”, which was really really interesting. After that came the awesome part. He and another teacher have been trying to set up a film class, but since he doubts it’s going to happen, he has invited me to come in and check out any material at any time. This means old movies, college textbooks, all this awesome stuff that would be really helpful. He said that if no one had claimed it by the end of my high school career, I could keep it all.

I love when you go for things and it opens up so much more than you ever imagined. I love teachers who are there to expose their students to a variety of things, even if they’re not very good at teaching the subject they teach. I really hope I get him as an English teacher, although that prospect is a bit unlikely.

My schedule is really hectic right now, but I get a thrill out of having so many places to go.

I also love that today I got the chance to say that I am pursuing directing in front of so many people. I’ve dug myself a hole and now I have to force myself out of it. Meaning that “Angry Asian Man”, or some other movie, better get made. What good motivation it is when you tell ninety people that you’re making a movie this summer.

And shall I say that subconsciously, I am hoping our plans to watch “Star Trek” falls through, because I don’t really want to spend any more money right now. And that free movie ticket? That’s for “Public Enemies”, thank you.

Miya and I were imagining what would happen if I worked at Disneyland and Johnny Depp’s family came to visit. I would get hit by Jerry’s fart gun, to say the least. To be honest, though, I’d never do any of this.

Lily-Rose: I’m bored. (she is at the preteen stage where everything seems pointless.)
Grapes: Would you like to watch one of your father’s old movies instead? (pulls out several from her magic Barney bag, fans them out in fingers) How about “The Libertine”, from 2004? It is especially age-appropriate.

Jack: I want a Mickey-shaped popsicle. (he is at that age when Mickey-shaped popsicles still seem special)
Grapes: Sure thing! And did you know that in the mid-1990’s, your father dated Jennifer Grey?

God. With that I’d break up Johnny and Vanessa’s relationship, without even having to seduce him like in many fangirls’ fantasies.

They are on the PotC ride.
Pirates: Yo ho, yo h,o a pirate’s life for me.
Pirate: Show your larbor side.
Mayor: I don’t know where glub glub glub glub.
Jack Sparrow:
Grapes: (pops out beside Captain Jack and points) Your father! Your father!
Jerry: (pulls out fart gun)
Fart Gun: WRJFWKJWWKFJW RKWERWJFWKFW
Grapes:

I think I could have a great career at Disneyland.

Well, to be honest. I have wanted to work there since before I had an age with double digits. It seems like an experience you’d never get anywhere else, and yes, I do know they’re strict. And that I’d probably end up sweeping puke like those guys outside PotC. Everyone seems to puke on PotC. Maybe it’s the sight of the animatronic Geoffrey Rush.

Geoffrey Rush is proof that one doesn’t have to be beautiful to be invited to my barbecue. In fact, Sushi is the anomaly. Who thinks Shel Silverstein is – excuse me, was, bless his heart – beautiful? Anyone? Anyone?

I apologize for that shameless reference. One should probably wait a few days before referencing a movie. Not that I do.

All in all, I am still one happy camper.