Getting caught up

Hi Everyone,

This past week has been INSANE!  There was so much going on right after break, but I had a lot of fun and was glad to be back in Philadelphia.  Break was very relaxing and quiet, but I was ready to get back to school and all of the stuff going on. 

On Monday, I visited a senior center with my classmate Phil and led a book discussion on the novel The Soloist.  This was part of the One Book One Philadelphia project I wrote about before and I was really glad to have the chance to discuss the novel with another generation of readers and see their interpretation of the novel.  The book club we discussed the novel with had a lot of insight into the novel and brought up some really good points that I had never considered before.  In the novel, the author discusses how racism effected Nathanial, the main character who is dealing with homelessness and schizophrenia.  The racism that Nathanial faced when he performed at Julliard in the 1970’s wasn’t highly emphasized and I didn’t really think much of this detail, but some of the members of the book club emphasized it and related it to personal experiences they had faced in the 1970’s.  It was an eye opening experience. 

I would highly recommend this novel.

 Wednesday proved to be a little hectic as well.  I am the co-treasurer for a new club on campus called the Temple Film Collective.  The club works to make short films, generally 10 to 15 minutes and we are currently working on our projects and are trying to get some type of film festival together by the end of the year.  A few weeks ago the club decided to have a bake sale to raise money for our projects, which proved to be a little more difficult than expected.  We were finally able to get everything together and Wednesday night a couple club members and some of my friends in my residence hall got together and started baking like crazy.  We ended up getting more than 70 packages together and sold them all the next day on Liacorous.  I’m really proud of the club and all that we were able to achieve during our first fundraiser. 

Thursday nights are generally when my friends and I go to the Reel on campus and this week was no exception.  This week’s film was MILK and I was particularly excited to see it because I missed it in theatre’s and Sean Penn recently won an Oscar for his portrayal of Harvey Milk in the film.  The movie was provocative and moving, and leaves its audience with a lot to think about and consider. 

An amazing film

 I had been looking forward to Friday all week because my friends and I had been planning on going to the Pennsylvania Ballet Company’s performance of Cinderella.  Now, I know that the ballet’s not exactly the coolest thing around, but before you write it off, consider giving it a try.  The show was amazing and the cast was insanely talented.    It was my first professional ballet and I know that I’ll be going again soon!  Well, that was it for my week, a little crazy at times, but definitely a lot of fun.  Till next time,

-Taylor

My friends Geoff, Thu, Ryan and I at the Academy of Music before the ballet!

Spring Break- It’s finally here!

Hi Everyone,

So, I like school as much as the next person, but it’s definitely time for a break.  Between the stress of mid-terms and the crummy winter weather , spring break could have not come at a better time.  We started the week with a pretty nasty snowstorm that put the entire city in a snow emergency.  I still had to get to class, which was something of an adventure, but I did make it to my first class without falling into too much snow. 

I finished up the last of my exams on Thursday, and I was ready to start break right then, but one more class and a couple of shifts at work, made that pretty impossible.  Being at school on Thursday night did give me the chance to check out the Temple-St. Joes game.  I got to watch the Owl’s kick the Hawks butt, 68 to 59! It was an awesome game, and the student section was pretty pumped!

Cheering after a basket!

Anyway, I’m pretty excited to be home for a little while.  Gives me a chance to relax and catch up with my friends fromhigh school. I can also spend a lot of quality time with my puppy Oliver!  I miss him so much while I’m at school and now I have a full week to play with him.  He’s arguably the cutest dog ever!  I’ll post a picture of him if you don’t believe me. 

He loves wearing his bomber jacket and shades!

I hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather, and I’ll write more when I get back to school.  Till then

-Taylor

Going out on the town

Hey Everyone,

So I should start this post by telling you that I am a total nerd.  I love to find new books to read and discuss them in a group setting, which is probably why I never seem to stop talking in my English classes.  It becomes something of a problem, especially if I’m really into the book were are discussing. 

Anyway, we started a new book in one of my classes called The Soloist and I’m really digging it.  It’s a pretty fast read and so much better than the stuff we read early, which wouldn’t take too much, but still!  The cool part about studying the Soloist right now, besides the fact its so good,  is that its part of the One book One Philadelphia program.  One Book is a city wide event that was created to promote literacy.  The program starts in January and there are events for the book, from book discussions, to films, to programs dealing with themes from the book.  The program also encourages creating book clubs to discuss the novel in depth and get other peoples opinions.  My professor asked for volunteers to go to various retirement centers in the community and lead book discussions, so one of my friends from class and I signed up. 

So, my professor asked that we get the book done early and then promised to take everyone to dinner for a book discussion and to learn how to lead a book discussion.  I figured we would be heading down to the Owl’s Nest for a slice of pizza, but instead my professor decided to take us all to this restaurant in Center City called Ariana.  Its an Afghan restaurant and the food was amazing!  We had such a good time chatting about movies and the novel and discussing how we plan to run our discussions. 

I cannot wait to lead a book discussion next weekend.  I think its going to be a lot of fun!  Well, I have to get back to studying for my midterms.  Until next time!

-Taylor

And the Oscar goes to…

Before I start my post: Congrats to all the big Oscar winners, especially Slumdog Millionaire for Best Motion Picture and Kate Winslet for Best Actress!

Hey Everyone,

My week was busy, and pretty dull between studying for exams and doing research for projects coming up in my classes, I didn’t find much time to do anything else.  This weekend made up for my week though.  My cousin Melanie came to visit me on campus and we got to hang out in Philly and on campus.  I took her down to south street and we got to go to my favorite store, Beyond the Wall.  They sell all these awesome posters and I bought a new ballet themed one, very exciting!  Now to find a place to hang it on my walls…

I also got to go check out the game on Sunday afternoon.  The Temple Owls, once again, beat their opponents and won the game, beating out the St. Bonaventure Bonnies, 56 to 30.  Now I am no fashionista by any stretch of the imagination, but who came up with the other teams uniforms?  Brown is not a good color for any uniforms, period!   It was also Hooter’s birthday and a bunch of mascots were there to celebrate and participate in a mascot basketball game, which was pretty hilarious!  Plus more free t-shirt throws means that it was a really fun time. 

Well, thats all from me for now.  I have to get back to a rather dull journal assignment I’ve been working on this weekend. Hope everyone has a fun week!  Till next time,

-Taylor

The fun never ends…

Hey Everyone,

It had been one crazy week.  Classes are really starting to pick up and I have a lot more homework than before. Time management is definitely an important skill to pick up before college and I have been using it all week to make sure I get all of my homework and assignments turned in on time. 

People have a  lot of different ways of trying to schedule their time. I keep a planner and write down my assignments and my daily schedule so that I can figure out when I can get the most homework done.  Other people prefer to procrastinate because the pressure of needing to get the assignment done helps them create a better finished product.  This usually leaves me feeling stressed out and I actually become less productive.  Some of my friends have started eliminating distractions from their daily life to give them more time to focus. One of my friends has even gone so far as to delete his facebook account, so that he can spend more time studying and less time facebook stalking.  While this option makes perfect sense, I just have to stay connected. 

So no matter how you manage to get assignments done, the important thing is that you get them done on time and put forth the best effort you can.  This will lead to better grades and less time stressing at the end of the semester about passing the course. Well, that’s all the time I have for now.  And for those of you who celebrate, Happy Valentine’s Day.  Till next time,

-Taylor

La Vie Boheme!

Hey Everyone,

Its been a pretty crazy week!  There’s so much going on here on campus and in the city; it’s busy, but so much fun! Anyway, I was really excited about my trip to the theatre earlier this week.  I am a huge fan of  live theatre, especially musicals.  I’ve been listening to Broadway soundtracks since I was little and any time I am given the chance to see a show, I am so there!

The national tour of RENT came into Philadelphia last week and was offering inexpensive tickets for the show two hours before the show. I had never seen RENT, even though I love the soundtrack, and Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal, two of the original actors, were coming back to reprise their roles as Mark and Roger. I talked a few of my friends into going and we planned it out so that some of us would get in line earlier that day for the tickets and the rest of us would head down as soon as class was out to buy the tickets and hang out a little before the show.  Sending some people early was definitely a good idea, because the line for tickets was crazy, but worth it!

I caught the subway and headed into Center City a little while after my friends had and met them in line for the tickets.  We got really bored so we took pictures while we were waiting for the box office to open. 

Geoff, Thu, and Reece waiting in line for tickets. 

After we got the tickets and did a happy dance, we grabbed a quick dinner and went back to the theatre. I was so excited to see the show, especially with some of the original actors. RENT is not your typical musical because it features some a pretty serious source material, but the message of living for the day that the audience comes away from the show with is so strong. The songs and the characters are also pretty incredible, and I would definitely recommend this show if you ever get the chance to see it! This isn’t from the tour, but it’s one of my favorite songs from the show and features Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp.

My friends and I really enjoyed the show but the fun for the evening didn’t end there!  Some shows will allow the audience to crowd around the stage door behind the theatre and get autographs from the actors as they are leaving the theatre. I had never done this before, but I really wanted to get a signature from the original characters and my friends were interested in the sheer madness that can be the stage door crowds. It got a little crazy, but it ended up being totally worth it when Anthony Rapp came out and signed all the programs and posters that fans brought.  I was able to grab some pictures while he was signing autographs. 

My friends and I ended up having a great time getting to see the national tour of RENT and hanging out in the city.  Living in a big city, like Philadelphia, is great for theatre fans like me, because you’re only blocks away from great performances all the time! Well, that’s all from me for now. Till next time,

-Taylor

My friends and I posing with the RENT poster near the theatre.

Things to do when you’re not watching a major sporting event.

So, my roomate and I aren’t big sports fans.  So as the big game was approaching, we started coming up with some ideas of things to do while the game is on TV.  Now I am not totally anti-Superbowl.  If the Eagles had made it to the Superbowl, it would be a completely different story.  If city pride is on the line, I’m always there to cheer! But since they lost, and Pittsburgh is on the other side of the state, we had to find something to do to occupy our free time. 

1.  Go to the Gym- Most of the machines are open and you can get into the classes that are sometimes full!

2. Get a Wrap- The wrap line at the Student Center food court is usually long, really long. While everyone is watching the game, you can get through the wrap line in under 5 minutes. And get some extra chips!

3. Do your laundry- Sunday night is traditionally the worst night to get laundry done, because most people stay in and get ready for the week.  But while everyone is watching the game, you have your pick of washers and dryers!

4. Watch TV Movies- Nothing makes a movie better than commercial interruptions. My personal favorite is My Big Fat Greek Wedding.  OPAH!!!

5. Do some homework- You know that assignment that’s been looming in your planner and you just can’t seem to start.  Without the added distraction of Sunday television, you’re free to start even the dullest of assignments

6. Go to the Tech Center- You can almost always find a computer at the tech center, but with a night like this, you have your choice of computers.  Try a few, see which printer works better, which has a faster response time, go nuts!

7. Catch up on your reading- Weren’t able to finish the twilight series over winter break? Been foiled in your attempt to do some fun reading because of the endless assignments for some book called Gilgamesh (It’s seriously weird!)? Take sometime for yourself and curl up with a good novel!

8. Facebook!- You know all of those surveys your friends keep sending you and you just keep avoiding, all of those pictures you have yet to put up and all those friends from elementary school you have yet to facebook friend? No more excuses!

9. Catch up with your roomates- The beginning of the semester can be a busy time and you don’t always see your roomate. Take some time to reconnect, find out how their break was and what classes they’re taking this semester.

10. Makeovers!- This one really only applies to the girls (unless you guys just really need to buff out those nails!) Try a new hairstyle, paint your nails, give yourself a facial. Treat yourself before a hectic week. 

11. Try some new microwave recipes- While everyone is watching the game, you can monopolize the microwave and try your hand at some new delicacies.

12. Learn a new craft- Have you always wanted to learn how to make origami or knit a scarf? Why not start now?

13. Research new hang-out spots- Take sometime and go on line. You can find some new restaurant in Philly or get information on some place you’ve been dying to go. I started planning a trip to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and I can’t wait to go!

14. Call your parents- They raised you and I’m sure do not hear from you enough while you’re away at school. Call your mother and ask her how her day was.  Talk to your dad and see how the games going.  They’ll appreciate the gesture!

15. Redecorate your rooms-  Hang up some of those great pictures you took over winter break and during the school year.  The new decorations will remind you of home and boost your spirits while your working on a killer assignment. 

16. Study Temple University Trivia- Those tours won’t give themselves you know!

17. Make a new playlist- Go through your growing music library and make a playlist to listen to while your walking around on campus or to remind you of all the great music you listened to when you were younger. Who can forget to good days of N’SYNC and Brittany Spears?

18. Clean up- If your room is organized and clean, you’ll feel less stressed during the week. 

19. Catch up on viral videos- If it’s been a long time since you’ve been on youtube, they’re are definitely some great new videos to check out.  You can also check the score of the big game so, you won’t be totally out of the loop tomorrow. 

20. Blog!- Now’s a great time to catch up on your blogging and make your own list of things to do during the big game!

So there you go, 20 things to occupy your time while the game is on. And to all of you big football fans out there, Go STEELERS! If anyone should win, it should be Pittsburgh.  Bring another championship win to Pennsylvania boys!! Till next time,

-Taylor

Thank Goodness it’s Friday

It’s been a long week! I had my first full week of classes and I’m really feeling it today, so tired.  I am taking some pretty interesting courses this semester.  For my general education courses I’m taking a class called Gender and Global Studies, History and Significance of Race in America and the Art of Acting.

The Gen ed classes are pretty sweet because you can study stuff you wouldn’t get to learn about in your major.  I am really enjoying my acting class so far.  I did some theatre approximately a million years ago when I was little and its really fun to try it again. Plus, what other class on campus is going to let you practice relaxation skills in class!

I’m pretty excited for this weekend.  My friends and I have some city exploration planned.  We really want to go find the LOVE park, since none of us have ever been.  Hopefully I’ll be able to get some homework done too! Till then,

-Taylor

Temple Basketball!

Hey Everyone,

Had a great weekend here on campus! The Temple Owls Basketball had a great game on Saturday beating the Charlotte 49er’s 80 to 53! It was an awesome game. My family stopped by for a visit and we all went to cheer on the Owls to victory!

 

Game

My sister and I cheering on the Owls

 

 

Classes are going well, but I have a lot of homework to get back to. Till next time

-Taylor

Hello world!

Hey Everyone!

This is my first blog and I’m really excited to get started. Anyway, my name’s Taylor and I’m a freshman this year at Temple U.  Currently, I am a Broadcast Telecommunications and Mass Media major, which is just another way of saying that I’m studying television production.  I moved to Philadelphia in September and I love living in a big city! There is always something to do and most businesses are open after 9 o’clock  on a Friday night, which is a big change from the place I grew up!  My friends and I love going out and doing fun, new things in the city. Before winter break, we went iceskating at Penn’s Landing. I wasn’t very good at it, but we had a great time! 

My friend Geoff and I trying to stay on our feet while we were iceskating. 

I’m really looking forward to my first weekend back at school! This weekend marks the beginning of the Chiniese New Year, and some of us are heading down to Chinatown to check out the festivities.  Can’t wait to tell you all about it soon.  Till then!

-Taylor