An inspiring quote projected onto the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
peek ashley.
instagram.com/peekashley | @PEEKashley
Sa-sa-sa-sad Sadness (To the Tune of Muse’s Madness)
Long lines. Thousands of dollars. Bruised hands. Lost voices. Cheers, and tears.
Time and time again I have expressed my over indulgence in the sporting world and my obscene connection and emotional attachment to those teams that I follow, support and admire.
As a born and bred Hoosier I have seen many ups and downs for the Hoosier athletics department over the past 23 years, but I think I got quite a large chunk of luck thrown at me during my four years in Bloomington.
That chunk of luck included Tom Crean, Jordan Hulls, Victor Oladipo, Christian Watford and Cody Zeller. (among a few others.) Over the past two days we saw two underclassmen (Oladipo and Zeller) declare for the NBA draft. Although sources leaked the information and it was on Twitter before the actual press conferences I had a small glimmer of hope inside of me hoping one of them was playing an elaborate joke. I even tweeted that Cody was known to be a prankster and that maybe, just maybe, he would get us all.
Yet, here I am, eight hours after Cody sat in front of a decent size crowd of journalist and on-lookers at the middle of Branch McCracken Court inside of Assembly Hall, finally letting the reality set in. The players of whom I grew the largest bonds with. The ones whom I shared dorm buildings, classrooms, busses, dance floors, and spectatorship with: will no longer be adorn with the Candy Stripes. Yes, I know, this a part of the life of college athletes and I know I am a graduate, but like I said, I have that whole emotional attachment issue that I never know how to sort out.
I am not alone in this. I know. And I know there are people who will probably roll their eyes are me if they were ever forced to hear me ramble on and on about my favorite memories as a student at IU including those of when I was cheering on the Hoosiers. But tonight I sit in my room before going to sleep in the same shirt I wore on December 10, 2011. A night that needs no details to the Hoosier faithful. A night that for me, as a senior, will go down as my favorite as a student at Indiana University.
As always I am looking forward to another season of Indiana basketball, and to see Yogi, Will, Hanner, Peter, Austin and the rest of the recruits return (no, I haven’t put too much thought into the fact that someone won’t be returning due to over recruiting) but to see those ones that I saw as “my team” take their final strides away from Assembly Hall is a wound that is going to take a little time to heal.
Many feel Cody is not ready for the NBA, and I too selfishly so, wish he would be staying another year in Bloomington. But, everyone has their dreams to chase and their lives to live. He has made being a Hoosier and playing at IU fun again. He helped take this team to two back to back sweet sixteens, became the first McDonald’s All-American that Crean coached and helped make many memories, unbeknownst to him, for several members of the Hoosier fanbase. He and Victor are taking the next step in their journey just as every other average college student/graduate. Their steps just may be longer strides and involve wind sprints from time to time.
Wherever they end up, whatever they may accomplish, at least I know that they helped make memories of a lifetime for me and that alone is reason enough to wish them luck and hope that they lead long, promising careers at the next level.
And I will end this with acknowledging the fact that I am obnoxious and should go to bed earlier.
Goin’ to bed.
“Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly.” | Franz Kafka
Mostly about Spring Breakers, I won’t lie.
My obsessions with different realms of pop culture have come to an all time high lately. I am going to go ahead and blame my lack thereof employment and my current role of stay-at-home Netflix watcher.
Netflix currently watching: The City (Season 2.)
From my Netflix binge of MTV Mocumentary series ‘The Hills’ and ‘The City’ (that Olivia is a real see ya next Tuesday…) to my recent in theatre viewing of Harmony Korine’s “Spring Breakers” I’ve found myself fawning over characters, story lines, songs, fashion designers, and everything else you can throw into a mixing pot from these completely opposite small screen/big screen options. (Side note: I have also started to read the first book in the ‘Pretty Little Liars’ series and at the same time watch episodes from Season 1 to see the similarities. Um hello, get a life Ashley.)
Moving on, “Spring Breakers” is what I am going to go ahead and say will be a cult following film and one that will either be loved or hated. I’m not sure with the character dimensions and themes it is a film that one can be partial to it. Personally, I was a big fan. After listening to the ESPN Grantland.com Podcast from three female writers I obsess over (Molly Lambert, Emily Yoshida and Tess Lynch) I realized how much I truly did love and appreciate the movie. (Sidenote: I tweeted about the podcast and Tess favorited it. I love when stuff like that happens.) Even after attending IU for four years I never did the stereotypical “get trashed every day, barely function” spring breaks. I went and visited friends/family, took in Savannah, Georgia (this could have had the potential to be trashy beach time but it was more so ‘It’s St. Patricks day and everyone gets to be Irish for the week so drink, ye bitches” type of vacation), and explored jungles and fine dining in Puerto Rico. None of which I am complaining about, but after seeing the film in which James Franco stuns the crowd with cornrows and a grill, and which we see Selena Gomez in a role which may be her must vulnerable role yet, I kind of get the ‘Fear of Missing Out’ notion from not doing that crazy spring break trip. But thanks to the aformentioned characters and the team of sociopaths Ashley Benson and Vanessa Hudgesns I realized I didn’t miss out on too much.
I don’t know if I am the only one, but this movie was beyond anything I expected it to be. The trailers gave us glimpses into corruption and bikini clad arrests, but I could have never foreseen the “American Gangster meets Britney Spears” highlights.
There is one scene in the movie, I don’t want to ruin anything, but it was one of the most cinematically perfect scenes I have ever seen. In a movie about girls being somewhat on the wrong sidesof the tracks and corn rows, the sunset framing a white piano and gun ballet was just too much. I have found the scene on YouTube and it has been on a constant loop.
If you look at this film in a manner that it would seriously happen this way, then you may be delusional. The ending is flat out unbelievable, but when you factor in the character development of the two main girls it only makes sense to end that way. Either or, I am in love with the film and I have found myself watching interview after interview and looking at movie poster after movie poster soaking in all that is and will forever be “Sprrraaangg Break.” Also, I am pretty sure it was a real life video game. I loved it. I hated it. I hated that I loved and hated it at the same time and I am pretty sure I thought really serious parts were funny and funny parts were kind of sad. Either or, I would suggest people to see this. And I would see it again.
Random Tid Bits from my going-on’s:
- Luca Luca is a designer mentioned in an episode of ‘The City’. Little do most people know Mr. Luca Orlandi tested for the Mazda Road to Indy (the ladder series into INDYCAR) this year. I had a pleasure of meeting Luca, I was really hoping that he would design some snazzy fire suits, however, he has sense gone on and decided to join F3 over in Europe. Best of luck to you, Luca!
- In the book version of Pretty Little Liars the character Emily Fields has red hair. On the TV show actress Shay Mitchell is almost the opposite of how Emily is describe (at one point is says something about freckles and being Irish.) Shay is of Filipino and Irish decent, maybe, but she definitely took the recessive genes.
- Books and TV shows make getting jobs and underage drinking look like a walk in the freaking park. Olivia messes up about 100 times in ‘The City’ and if that is actually how she performed in the work place it makes my head explode with anger. I could easily pull accessories and interview designers when someone asked me yet this “Socialite” is too cool for school. And I have still not gotten over my hate for her.
- The ‘Spring Breakers’ soundtrack made me fall back in love with Skrillex.
xxxooo.
Wednesday Rambles.
Quote:
“When a man walks into a room, he brings his whole life with him. He has a million reasons for being anywhere, just ask him. If you listen, he’ll tell you how he got there. How he forgot where he was going, and that he woke up. If you listen, he’ll tell you about the time he thought he was an angel or dreamt of being perfect. And then he’ll smile with wisdom, content that he realized the world isn’t perfect. We’re flawed, because we want so much more. We’re ruined, because we get these things, and wish for what we had.” – Don Draper. Man Men, Season 4: Ep. 8.
Song:
“Follow Your Arrow” | Kacey Musgraves.
Picture:
Spring Breakers.
A Lot….
Happened today. It was a very jam packed (Fat) Tuesday. Along with the annual Mardi Gras celebration (which I sadly did not take part in one bit) we experienced President Obama’s State of the Union, a high priority chase to find an armed and dangerous ex-cop, a horrible collegiate basketball injury, baseball spring training, “You Off” Michigan State t-shirts and maker’s mark is going to water down their whiskey. I know that most days are jam packed with news and big stories, but maybe it just seems more so today because a lot of things I was interested kept popping up.
I’ll start with the state of the union. Over the past few months my obsession with politics has been growing, and I want to contribute some of that to my new found love for The West Wing (Thank you Netflix, Thank you Aaron Sorkin and cast) and partially to the fact that it is just so damn intriguing. I can find a story about something happened either within our country or on the international scale and be drawn in. And tonight I think Obama really hit the mark with the SOTU. Spoke on several key issues and had one of the most memorable political moments in recent times with his emotionally charged segment on gun control.
I would be lying if I said I didn’t have to hold back so tears.
Secondly, Chris Dorner, a former LAPD officer is the target in a manhunt in Big Bear. He is believed to have killed four people and is currently the most wanted man in America. It has been reported that his body has been found inside a burnt down cabin, but when I say reported that has been said and not yet fully proven. (Journalistic standards in high profile cases have seemed to just jump to conclusions and hope for the best in most recent scenarios. Somehow the fact of being right is being lost on the race to be first to report.) However, it has yet to be fully confirmed. The search is still on in other words. A scary situation to have when a man is a trained gunman.
A University of Kentucky basketball player, Nerlens Noel, who is projected to go high in the draft this year if not number one suffered a horrible looking injury today against the University of Florida. If the injury is anywhere near as horrendous as the screams he let out, he may never play basketball the same again. It was painful to watch, and I highly dislike the UK team. So from one lover of college basketball to a player that against my better judgement I have enjoyed watching this year, thoughts and prayers are with you.
Spring training. The Yankees. Jeter is playing again. It was a sunny day in Florida. And the Yankees no longer have the highest salary in the MLB. That’s that.
In Rivalry week we had Michigan State vs. Michigan tonight. A battle of not only in state schools but Big Ten schools. Big Ten Ranked schools. One that favored the hometeam and the underdogs. Tom Izzo did was he does best. Covertly showed his hand against a seemingly more superior Michigan team. But that was not the case tonight. The Izzone came clad in shirts saying “You Off” a mocking to UM’s warm up’s doning the phrase “We On” (meaning When Everyone Operates N-Sync) and the Izzone cheered, chanted and taunted the Spartans to victory. It’s true. Even Izzo himself said the team helped get the win. So did Appling and the rest of the crew, but Izzo gave a lot of credit to the fans. It is a great win for that team, but a scary scenario for the Hoosiers who go to East Lansing next week.
And finally, Markers Mark will begin watering down their whiskey. Which is said for all those people who like Markers Mark. I stick to my vodke. Hey ooooh.
It’s late and I have more West Wing to watch but I just wanted to jot down some of my thoughts from today. Until next time…
House of Cards, a tricky business for the viewer and the characters
While I will be the first to admit there were about seven times I wanted to tweet about something in the show and then realized “Wait, stop! Don’t be that girl.” This show has single handily redefined the way people can enjoy a television series. Whether it be by binge watching as many episodes as possible, having some sort of super human ability to only watch one at a time or breaking it up in a clock work manner–it is in the hands of the watcher. Netflix really stepped over some lines that have yet to be crossed in the small screen business, one I feel many television writers, directors and actors can get behind. (Not to mention viewers!)
Sure, it has paved a new way for those interested in being the spoiler alert; but in the days where we know where not to look, it’s okay.
I personally am a huge fan of how the show was directed and acted. David Fincher (Fight Club) teamed beautifully with Kevin Spacey (American Beauty). The two must have really been in sync back stage because the way Spacey was able to pull over the one-on-one with the camera was a masterpiece. And that southern accent was superb. But the writing of the show, the twist and turns and the anti-hero in Spacey’s character Francis Underwood was magical. It has been awhile since I can remember a television character at about the same caliber of Underwood. One whom you want to see succeed, but after mania bouts of him pushing others to the edge your cheering turns to quiet mumbles.
But a lot could be said for how easy every thing seems to come and go for Underwood. His control over other members as the Majority Whip is almost scary. And then to continue his control over rookie reporter Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara) is, again for lack of a better term, scary. He fishes and catches everything he wants. But that is only after what he really wants (Secretary of State) is taken away from him.
I believe it is the first political drama I have watched where the President seems second tier. It was interesting to me how much is kept from him, put in front of his eyes and ignored and down right over looked. Either, or, every show about United States politics will have it’s strengths and weaknesses.
No matter what may be argued over the show (lack of creativity, laziness in writing, poorly performed roles) I for one was entertaining by the underlining themes of greed, abuse of power and struggle. Every character added a new twist and turn in the plot.
What I liked most is that everything is an opportunity. Nothing can be simply sat in the corner to let linger. All avenues are explored. And everyone wants something.
As simple as that may sound, and obvious even, there is still so much more to come in the next dosage of the show (coming….???) and I for one cannot wait for it to be placed onto Netflix and to have at the disposal of my fingertips.
Go watch it if you haven’t yet, you’ll find something to like (or hate) about it.
PS; I really barely scratched the surface of the characters within the show.
People tell you who they are, but we ignore it – because we want them to be who we want them to be.
Don Draper. Mad Men.
People tell you…
10 Things 90s Kids Will Have To Explain To Their Children
While most things we experienced as tots in that headiest of eras seems pretty self-explanatory (plaid was everywhere, Leonardo DiCaprio was the molten ball of light around which the solar system turned, and there was no color too bright for your sweatpants) there are some things that will be a bit harder to explain. Here, a primer for when your future children want to know what the hell you were doing with your boxy, multicolored electronics.
This is phenomenal. My favorite is the very last line....
My Starting 5.
Today I was asked a very serious, very thought provoking question. If I could choose any 5 men, living/dead, etc, to be my starting 5 who would they be. (In other words what is my personal preference of favorite men around.) Let me tell you all, I have an obsession with tv/movies/sports/celebs/athletes/models/etc. So picking ONLY 5 has proved extremely difficult. But I think I did. I am not numbering them in any specific order, but here are my top 5 leading men.
- Ben Affleck. A man of many roles, good and bad. A hudband, a father, an actor, a director. And above all, one of the all time sexiest men in Hollywood, who is only getting better with age. Ben Affleck, power forward. I love Affleck in Dogma, Forces of Nature, He’s Just Not That Into You, The Town, and of course, Armageddon.
- Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers. Blake is just so much muscle, athelticsm, comedic value, the #blakeface, team player, individual stunt man…..okay I know that sentence did not make sense. That’s how I get when thinking of Griffin. Absolutely would do much of anything to get a chance to just hang out with him for one day.
- JFK. I mean, who wouldn’t. I think he sets the bar when it comes to handsome politicians. It makes me extremely sad that I wasn’t alive during his era. His Eastern Sea Board look and intelligence are an attractive combo. What can I say, I’m a sucker for a bad boy/leader of the free world.
- Prince Harry. He is prince Harry. That’s enough said.
- Adam Levine. The grudge, hipster, too cool for school, biker, drunk, high-pitched singer. All of it. All of him. He’s in the game for me.
Honorable mentions: Paul Wesley, The Franco brothers, Patrick J. Adams, Kirk Cousin, Andy Murray Zac Efron, and the 6th man would have to be Ryan Gosling and/or Andrew Garfield.
I told you I couldn’t really narrow it down. Thank you the world of entertainment for making it ever so fun to be a female. (I’ll make a top 5 females in the near future.)
xx
Google wins again.
Today I went into my old high school and spoke with some teachers about positions within the school and the transition to teaching path and what not and made me miss classes. So I started googling online free courses and came upon http://www.coursera.com. It is by far one of the coolest networks I have found to be on. It is a network of over 33 elite universities that offer courses of various kinds. I have so far signed up for a few different ones including “E-Leaning and Digital Cultures” from the University of Edinburg, “The Language of Hollywood:Storytelling, Sound and Color” from Wesleyan University, “Social Network Analysis” from The University of Michigan and “Generation Rx: The Science Behind Prescription Drug Abuse” from Ohio State. They are range in length (week wise) and dedicated hours a week (1-9.) There are options of so many different categories and more and more are added all the time.
According to an article in The New York Times Coursera.com reached one millions users in less time than Twitter and Facebook. It is great how powerful education can be. This is a way I can spend my downtown in a positive manner. One that allows me to further my higher education from the comfort of my own home.
It in corporates social media into the learning process and often times you can connect with others taking the same course as you through hashtags.
Call me a nerd, but I am ready to start up with the courses and see what new information I can learn.
Happy Friday, y’all.
ps; I’ve had the song “Boys and Busses” from Nashville stuck in my head all day. So here’s a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlhF9f2vzAk
