April 6/7: Yeah Yeah Yeah, I KNOW! Here Is Some Music and Words.

I failed BEDA.  I did.  It was going so well, and then POOF.  So here is a extra super long bloggy type post to compensate for the fact that I cannot finish anything.  So here are two things.  I hope you like my things.

Also, a huge thank you to the people who gave me ideas for my play!  They really helped! You got the brain juices flowing, and the bubble bath was awesome.  Y'all are just the best.

Thing 1: A List of Jennelle's Favorite* Songs Right Now
*Keep in mind that I listen to a LOT of music, so favorite isn't so much of a permanent thing.  Things change.  A lot.  So here's twenty songs I like right now.

The Fault In Our Stars - Bloom
If you've read the book, it is based on it.  If you haven't, it is still a really good song.

Daisy's Lullaby (The Great Gatsby Rap) - Will Thwaites
Honestly the best rap about a book I've ever heard.  It doesn't hurt that I love The Great Gatsby, but still.

Falling Slowly - Glan Hansard and Marketa Irglova
I love this song.  Like a lot.  Like I would marry the guy who sang this to me playing guitar.  Any takers?

Loveology - Regina Spektor
This isn't on any of her albums.  But this song is amazing.  I love Regina Spektor.  SO MUCH.

Oedipus - Regina Spektor
Yeah, Regina Spektor is the best.  There will be a few songs from her on this list.  And this will be long.

Bobbing For Apples - Regina Spektor
This is so good, and then there is just one line and you have to laugh.  Hard.

Little Talks - Of Monsters and Men
I love this band.  The two lead singer's voices are amazing.  Like absolutely aces.

The Curse - Josh Ritter
This song is so beautiful.  Josh Ritter is a new favorite.

Feeding Line - Boy and Bear
They're from Australia.  Come on, it's me.

Indigo - Tom Milsom
I think that Tom Milsom is a genius when it comes to music.  He doesn't try to fit into any set genre.  He's his own thing.  Plus this song teaches you the names to about a billion cool colours.

A Little Irony - Tom Milsom
One comment. Look at how big his hands are.  Piano hands.

Song For The Painfully Indie - Tom Milsom
Seriously.  This guy is amazing. This song could make hipsters doubt themselves.

Lady Godiva - Alex Day
Okay, it's Alex Day.  How could you not love him.  Honestly.  Look at his pants.  Just look at them.  Or his face.  Look at that too.

Bread - Charlie McDonnell
You will sing this.  It will get stuck in your head, and you will sing it forever.

Doctor What - Charlie McDonnell
It's Doctor Who + Charlieissocoollike.  Again, come on, it's me.

Catch My Disease - Ben Lee
It is so catchy and happy.  You can't not love it.

Counting On Karma - Will Dailey and the Rivals
This guy has such a good voice, and this song has such a nice message.

After Tonight - Justin Nozuka
This guy could win the sexy voice award.  ALL THE AWARDS.  I've loved this guy for years, but this recently came up on my iPod and I was like 'LOVE ALL OVER AGAIN!'

The Science of Selling Yourself Short - Less Than Jake
I could do a whole list on ska songs I like.  Maybe I will.  Tee hee, I love ska music.  It is so happy.

Keasbey Nights - Streetlight Manifesto
Try singing this song.  Very hard.  But you will still totally try.

Okay, I'm done with boring you all with my weird music tastes.  I listen to a lot more than what I've shown you, since I've highlighted a few artists or whatever, but yeah.  I really like these songs, and I fully endorse the artists, because they are all brilliant.

Thing 2:  A Snippet of My Play
I promised you guys that I would show you this, so here is a little bit of my play.  I hope you enjoy it, because this play is killing me.  It's due in a week and I'm not even halfway done.  Anyway, no complaining. Enjoy!

"                        GARRETT

              (gives her a face; shoves some noodles in his mouth, talking around them)

So what?  Don’t tell me that you wouldn’t change it if you could?

                        VALERIE

By ‘it’ you mean my disability, right?  I don’t think I would, actually.

                        RUTH

Why is that, Valerie?

                        VALERIE

I like who I am.  So, I have a disability, and sometimes life doesn’t make sense.  But that doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t wish it away.  My disability makes me unique.

     (everyone freezes, save GARRETT)

                        GARRETT

              (sets down Chinese food, stands up)

See, this is why I didn’t want to come.  ‘My disability makes me unique’.  Sure, having a disability might make you different, but if I could get rid of my Tourette’s, I would.  In a heartbeat. And the anxiety that comes with the Tourette’s?  Yeah, I could really do without that. And the headaches that I get when I try to conceal my tics?  Yeah, they are just a barrel of freaking laughs.  I was seven when they gave me my diagnosis.  Seven.  It’s been ten years.  And living with this hasn’t gotten any easier.

              (sits)

    

     (everyone unfreezes)           

GARRETT

              (a certain level of contempt)

Your disability makes you ‘unique’?  Is that so?  Well, just hop on board the obvious train and get yourself a prize!  What do you have, anxiety?

               (waits for VALERIE to respond; when she doesn’t, continues, with a kind of malicious glee)

(cont.) Or is it something even more embarrassingly un-disabled?  What is it, huh?  Is it a panic disorder?

     (VALERIE fidgets, obviously uncomfortable.  GARRETT has hit his mark.)

(cont.) It is a panic disorder, isn’t it?  Well, aren’t you a special snowflake?

                         VALERIE

               (close to tears)

You don’t have to be so mean!  We’re all here because we’re disabled, whether you want to admit it or not.  You don’t have to be such a massive dick about it!

                         GARRETT

               (yelling)

Accept that you aren’t unique!  Having a disability makes you disabled, and that’s it!  Deal with it!

     (VALERIE bursts into tears and runs from the room.  Everyone else is deadly quiet.  WALTER and JACK look awkwardly at one another; ABBY signs ‘do you understand what happened?’ at LIV and LIV shakes her head and signs ‘no’. RUTH is furious)

                         RUTH

               (deadly calm; this is a side of RUTH that is rarely seen, but she is like a mama bear right now.)

Garrett, there is no reason for you to talk to Valerie that way.  This group was created for support and I’m not going to have you undermine its inherent message by letting you degrade its members.  You just attacked Valerie personally, and believe me when I tell you that it will never happen again.  Now, you will go find Valerie, and apologize.  Right now.

     (everyone turns and looks at GARRETT, who holds up his hands in defeat)

                         GARRETT

               (holds up his hands in defeat)

Fine.  I’ll go apologize.  But only because you asked so nicely.

     (blackout)"

So yeah, that was part of my play.  Please tell me what you thought of it, I could really use your help!

I think that that compensates for me forgetting yesterday.  In my defense, I was reading A Game of Thrones, so there.

Happy Easter/Passover to all, and to all a good night!  Day.  Whatever, you know what I mean.

Love and kisses,

Jen