Coming Soon

I am getting older. I can feel it.

I don't know, but I feel like I'm on the verge of something. I look at my brother Ryan who is just about to start his high school career, and then I look at myself who is ready to move on.

I just feel like things are changing this summer. There has to be other people that feel this way. In two short months, I will turn eighteen. I will cease to be a kid in the legal sense, but that won't change anything to me.

Even with things changing and college looming around the corner, I feel at complete peace. I'm where I want to be, and I'm happy. I like my class, and I'm super stoked for senior year.

Anyway, I'm leaving for Camp Z tomorrow morning, but with so much to write about, I wanted to make a list so I don't forget anything.

COMING SOON:
The Black Hole of Film Camp
The Making of Lemonopoly
V-Necks and Being a Hipster
The Homosexual Tension between Edward and Jacob in Eclipse
Sneaking Out/Saying Goodbye to Filmmaking Friends
College Reviews of UCLA, LMU, and Chapman
Why I Get Addicted to Teenage Girl Shows such as Glee and Pretty Little Liars
The Awesomeness of Inception and Almost Famous
Thunder Storms and Earthquakes
Dancing to Lady Gaga's Bad Romance
Funerals and Weddings
The Sweet Hilairousness of Troll 2
XC Camp
Girls and Forbidden Love
Tampons and Periods
Frat Boys, Hipsters, Skaters and Beyond
Making Out while Angry
and Skinny Dipping

Geeze. I'm going to be busy.

I'm Hungry

I really want an omelet from the UCLA cafeteria.

Don't you just want to reach through the computer screen and eat it?

The food at the cafeteria wasn't always fantastic, but there was a lot of it. And the omelets were amazing. They had everything on them including spinach which made them especially delicious.

The one thing I did constantly while in LA was eat. As previously mentioned, Carol Anne kept me well fed, and we did our fair share of feasting at film camp as well.

And the best thing was....

IN-N-OUT BURGER = HEAVEN!

West coasters will know exactly what I'm talking about, but us Easties are in the dark. Basically, In-N-Out is a fast food restaurant that serves only burgers, fries, and milkshakes. But the burgers are out of this world! And I swear I'm not exaggerating. I ate there for the first time last summer, and for the following year, I would get In-N-Out cravings. Biting into one of those burgers once again made me realize that In-N-Out has the best burgers I have ever eaten.

Carol Anne and Danny took me... of course! And luckily, there was an In-N-Out in Westwood - UCLA's neighborhood. We got to go there for a couple evenings and In-N-Out was always on the list of places to stop.

So beautiful. And that's one of my film camp friends Agueda. She's from Mexico, so this was her first In-N-Out experience.

We took a picture with one of the workers... Doug!

Before film camp, Brad, Danielle, and Erica took me out to try sushi for the first time. I had salmon and tuna rolls. We stayed at the restaurant until it closed having deep conversations about life. It was one of my favorite nights.

As far as sushi goes, it was okay. I can't eat much of it, but once in awhile I get a little hungry for it.

But what I really liked was the sweet beans... Edamame beans. Go try them!

Film Camp! Part One

Film Camp!

After four days, I had adjusted to living at Apartment de Brad, Danielle, et Erica. So as we approached UCLA after a breakfast stop at Hamburger Hamlet, I was a little nervous. Plus, as I mentioned earlier, after forking over all of my savings, I had high expectations for this camp.

Carol Anne and Danny escorted me to my room where we bumped into my roommate Walter. He looked to be about thirty. Now, I was even more nervous. We met with our groups, and the day soon began. It was of course awkward at first, but I expected this. The first day or two at any sort of camp is always awkward.

We then met with our professor for the next two weeks: Michael Wohl (Look him up - he wrote a book about editing with Final Cut Pro). He explained that we would be placed in groups of three or four. That night, we would have to come up with an idea for a five minute short film that involved minimal dialogue. We would pitch the ideas the next morning, and then he and a group of UCLA graduate film students would tear them to shreds.

I was placed in a group with Walter. That night, we met in our room with Reid and Kevin. Reid suggested a comedy about two men who formed competing lemonade stands. My fears were eased as we all liked the idea.

We survived the pitch the following morning and spent the rest of the week developing scripts, casting actors, and preparing for the shoot. We would have one day to film - Saturday.

The second day was fun, and by the third day, I was in love. Teenagers came to this Advanced Digital Filmmaking Camp from all over the country and all over the world. We all shared the same passion and the same drive. Naturally, we became a family.

More on this later. And one more thing... Walter was actually seventeen. He was also one of the nicest and funniest guys I have ever met. Lesson learned? Never judge a book by its cover. Duh.

Warning: A Brain Explosion is Near

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! That felt good.

I returned from Cross Country Camp last night. It was bittersweet because it was my last XC Camp experience. However, it was also my favorite one. I had a blast.

Now, I leave again in two days. This time the destination is Camp Zacchaeus aka Jesus Camp. It is also another place that I can call home and one of my favorite parts of the summer. I am a CIT (Counselor in Training). My brothers Ryan and Tyler also go as campers. And for the first time, my sister Addison will be a camper too. I am super pumped to be reunited with all of my summer friends.

When I return home from Camp Z in a week, I will finally be home to stay. And then the blogging frenzy will begin. I spent today calling and emailing people. I want to make a short film at the end of August. Unfortunately, my California expedition sucked my family's money supply dry. So now I am attempting to make a kick-ass short film with absolutely no money. Can it be done? Most likely not. But baby I will try. Stay posted and we will discover the ending of this story together.

Until then, I have to backup and talk about film camp...

USC

With so much to blog about, I'm not surewhere to go next. So, I guess I'll start with my thoughts on the University of Southern California. I went there on my first Friday in LA.

The film school at USC is in the process of being completely rebuilt, and the facilities are really pretty breathtaking. Both the Steven Spielberg and the George Lucas building are littered with classic movie posters. Just stepping into the buildings makes you want to film something
.

We went on the official tour, and USC is undoubtedly one of the best film schools ever. Everyone has heard of it. My cousin Brad is a USC Trojan, and so Carol Anne swears by the school.

USC is definitely one of my top choices, but I'm still a little skeptical for a few reasons:
1. It is nearly impossible to get in.
2. The school owns the films, not you.
3. You have to finance your films too.
4. You apparently don't touch a camera until your third year.
5. It is expensive.
6. USC seems like a mini industry. Film School Confidential says that USC is very technical. I want a school that focuses on story.

The best thing about USC is the name. I'll be guaranteed a job if I manage to get in and graduate before going broke. Plus, every school I have ever attended has the colors of red and gold. Maybe it's a sign.

And while we were there, hundreds of half naked teenagers were walking around campus. The Electric Daisy Carnival was going on. It's apparently a big rave. I really wanted to go.

Anyway, tomorrow morning I leave for West Virginia for my last Cross Country camp. I feel like I just got home, and now I'm saying goodbye to everyone again. Plus, as with my trip to LA, I still haven't packed anything.

I'm totally pumped! I'll continue spilling the deets my LA adventure when I get back. See you in four days!

Family

Meet the people that took care of me for three weeks.

About a year ago, I found my second mom. Her name is Carol Anne. She's my mother's cousin. She, with help form her husband Danny and children Brad and Danielle, is responsible for getting me out of Johnstown. I owe these amazing people a lot.

Brad has become like my big brother.

And then there's Danielle and Erica (a roommate and friend of Danielle and Brad). The three of them share an apartment, and it is there that I called home.

With them, it was impossible not to have fun. Carol Anne made sure that I ate at least five delicious meals each day. And Brad, Danielle, and Erica took me bar hopping, taught me new vocabulary, fed me sushi for the first time, and got me completely hooked on the stupid show Pretty Little Liars.

Thanks guys!

Takeoff

Where has the time gone?

Almost a month ago, I sat on a crowded plane heading from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles. This was my second trip to LA, and like before, I arrived at night. The sun was setting all across the country, and it was a beautiful flight. I knew that I was being transported somewhere entirely different from Johnstown.

You see those lit up pole thingys? They form my first memory of LA.

Once again, I was greeted by the night lights of Los Angeles. When the plane touched down, I felt as if I had never left. Last summer, I fell in love with LA. This time, I fell in love again. It's three thousand miles away and yet I feel as at home there as I ever did here.

My first cousins removed (I googled the correct relationship term) picked me up, and the journey began.

Coming Home

It has been weeks since I last posted something.

I returned from my LA adventure on July 15 and was immediately submerged into even more craziness. My past few days were filled with unpacking, cousin reunions, a non starting minivan, a thunderstorm, a gas station freak out, hipster lessons, a funeral, a wisdom tooth extraction, make out dreams, brotherly arguments, a sushi dinner, and so much more.

I could blog for years, but I leave for Cross Country Camp in four days. Still, I want to start at the beginning. My trip to LA was full of self-discovery, and it needs to be reflected on and written about.

It feels good to be typing again. It feels good to be home.