Tough Yet True Love

Track conditioning has started right when musical is heating up. The school year has reached that limbo period when winter activities blend with spring activities in order to create a month without sleep.

In the midst of the excitement, I hope to still find time to blog on the weekends. Tonight, I am staying up late in order to accomplish a few things - one of which is quite daring.

I am currently uploading a photo album of embarrassing Ryan pictures to Facebook. You see, as much as I love Adam and Ryan, they've been acting like two gossiping bitter old women lately. In addition, Ryan has initiated a number of small attacks on me throughout the year. I've warned him countless times that I was going to get my revenge.

The day has come. Although really, I don't believe in revenge, and I don't see this action as such. In reality, I simply find the pictures hilarious and believe that they need to be shared with the world. It's about time everyone met the real, not-so-innocent Ryan.

I'm sorry Ryan, but it had to be done. You will gain more fans in the long run thanks to this. And although we often fight and lunge at each others' throats, we will always love each other. I might actually miss you in college... just a little bit.

In other parts of the world, Alaina and I had a wonderful Pittsburgh trip on Saturday. I'm looking forward to another fun weekend because our good friend Christina is coming to Johnstown from Philadelphia. Her birthday is tomorrow. Happy birthday EM! We're in for an extravaganza.

I'll write about that as well as Pittsburgh soon.

One last thing, thank you to Alaina for introducing me to this song.

Movie Love

This past weekend was a little crazy, and it felt never-ending. But Monday brought a new week and so far, I am as happy as can be.

It feels like Christmas. I'm working to get stuff done before break. Man do I need one! I think we all do.

Besides Christmas, this is one of my favorite times of the year for another reason: movies! And most of the best ones! The only downside is that Johnstown hardly ever gets any of the limited releases. But that won't stop me. As of now, I'm driving an hour away with some friends on Thursday to see Black Swan. I'll drive all Oscar season if I have to. There's a buttload of films I want to see.


I'm almost done with my final college application - LMU. I've been working on the film essay. I have to write about the elements of the most powerful stories and storytellers. The essay has actually been giving me a hard time.

When I was searching for inspiration the other day, I stumbled across a dude who makes a movie montage at the end of each year. They were really cool. Of course, I'm a sucker for those montages at the ends of movies that give you little heart goosebumps (see Annie Hall, Slumdog Millionaire, 500 Days of Summer, and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix).

Anyways, the Cinema 2010 montage was uploaded today. Make some popcorn and enjoy!

Also, only four days until Christmas! I can't believe it!

Congratulations to Me

First off, this is my 50th blog post. Wow. I didn't think I would get there. Let's party!

I guess my gift is another snow storm. Schools in Johnstown got out early today, and I'm holding out for a third snow day so I can finally start typing my LMU essays.

I've been working on a poetry project for AP English. I'm reporting on Eating Poetry which has a theme of feeding attractions. Which reminds me of reading over 150 pages of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo on Saturday. I finally finished the book at Alaina's birthday party.


Needless to say, I really liked the Swedish crime thriller. It was cool, sexy, and new. I guess I'll have to read the other two novels in the trilogy in the summer.


A little later tonight, I'm going to crash on my couch with some coffee and blankets to watch the Swedish movie. Thank God for Netflix on the Wii. Just saying.



America is working on its own version of the film. Because it's directed by David Fincher, it should be awesome. We'll find out next Christmas. That is if the Mayans are wrong, and we don't blow up before then.

Anyway, only 12 more days until this Christmas!

Chad Strikes Back

So I took a hiatus. A long one. The last two months were a whirlwind. At many moments, I encountered something I longed to blog about. But I didn't want to start blogging again unless I knew I could keep it up consistently. That wouldn't be fair.

I turned in my research paper today (I wrote about interracial couples), and so I'm beginning to feel free. Well freeer. Free-er. More free.

A buttload of bloggable events occurred in the past two months. I'll try to pick some ones to focus on over the next few weeks.

A few highlights:

I finished the short film, called it a Dance in Time, and entered it in a few festivals. We'll wait and see what happens.
I also completed all of my applications except for one - LMU, which I plan to start this week.
And I'm starting to grow a little more facial hair. Not quite there yet.

In other news, Christmas is in 16 days. Holy crap. All of the sudden, winter struck Johnstown and we had two snow days. My guidance counselor reminded me again today that senior year flies by. She's right.

But I'm having fun. And I'm excited for what lies ahead.

Remember Me?

Remember me? Chad?

I've been out living.

Last week quickly transformed into crunch time as I rushed around like a mad man trying to get my short film actually filmed. Luckily, I have a great crew of supporters and friends. Together, we gathered equipment, went costume shopping, and created shot lists. I drafted my brother Ryan to act in the film. He hesitantly agreed. (I eventually made him dye his hair and even kiss a girl... gasp!). Finally, the one thing that hanged in the balance was a location.

Originally, I had always planned to film on Main Street by Central Park in downtown Johnstown. I wrote a nice letter of request and delivered it to the city manager like I was instructed to do. However, the city manager chick never called me back. For two days, my mom and I pounded her with phone calls and messages.

On Friday - shooting day - Ryan and I marched to city hall and waited outside her office until she returned from lunch... only she never did. She must have taken a four hour lunch break. And she still didn't call me back.

I was pretty ticked. I love Johnstown most of the time, and I can't understand why my city wouldn't help me out. Dear City Manager, why do you have to be such a rude biznatch?

Never willing to give up, I called my high school - Bishop McCort Catholic High School. We were allowed to film in the courtyard for three nights. The first night was hectic, but Saturday and Sunday went beautifully.

I couldn't have asked for better actors. Staring at the viewfinder, I was awestruck because I knew I was a part of something special.

I want to thank everyone... for everything. I had a great crew who went without sleep for three nights. Yesterday, we filmed the last little intro scene. Now all that's left to do is edit. In the next month, I'll keep you posted on my progress. I'll also try to share some pics and videos.

In other news, school started. Ahhhhhhhhh!

After filming Sunday night, Ryan and I jumped awake at six in the morning. He had to go to school for Freshman Orientation, and I had to help out because I'm on student council.

The rest of the week was weird. It feels like summer break was only a short weekend. Every time I walked down the halls, I could hear the Jaws theme song playing in the back of my head.
Dun dun dun.

Still, it's senior year! Whatever that means. I'm going to have fun.

No doubt, things are going to get crazy as I attempt to juggle cross country (first meet on Wednesday), college applications (I started my application for FSU), homework, and this short film.

I'll write about the new adventures coming my way, but I still have some stuff to say about the summer.

Until then, good luck to everyone going back to school. Take art classes! Bye.

Dirty Little B*tches

Heh. Heh. I'm jumping the gun because the finale of Pretty Little Liars was on last night.

The children of my street excitedly tuned in to ABC Family at my neighbor's house. The show of course ended on a suspenseful note, and now I'll just have to hold my breath for the next season.

Haha! Okay, seriously. Pretty Little Liars is a shallow and sort of stupid show. In LA, Danielle and Erica affectionately called it Dirty Little Bitches. They were spot on. Some of the girls in the show behave like monsters. I find it really difficult to believe that high school girls actually act like that. I could be wrong. I do live in a small town.

I feel like teenagers deal with much more realistic problems than the materialistic ones that appear in Pretty Little Liars. So why did I tune into the show every Tuesday night? I really don't know. But it was entertaining in a summer way.

Another confession... I'm a gleek. Earlier this year, my dad and my brother (of all people) got me hooked on Glee. I excitedly tuned into the finale of that too.

However, whereas I would probably be embarrassed to admit I watched Pretty Little Liars, I am proud to announce that I'm a Glee fan.

I found the show to be hilarious and extremely well done. The writing, performances, and overall production values were impressive. Plus, unlike High School Musical, it wasn't afraid to address real high school issues... sex, pregnancy, homosexuality, racism, obesity, bullying, etc. Not to mention that it involved a pregnant girl and the birth of a baby.

If there are any other guys out there manly enough to profess their love of Glee, please stand up now.

On a side note, I spent most of today at WixPix, a production company near Johnstown. They do commercials and videos for a lot of local businesses and companies. I got to job shadow, ask a bunch of questions, and even work the teleprompter.

Unfortunately, they couldn't give me a camera for my short film, but that's okay. I have a few backup plans that will go in effect tomorrow. Production of this short film will start soon... I promise.

The Hipster Within

What the cinnamon sticks is a hipster? People from Johnstown want to know. Hopefully, this link will give a vague idea.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hipster

Hipsters mainly reside in areas such as Brooklyn, San Francisco, and Mexico. However, in LA there were sightings and talk of the hipster culture. My contact with said culture began on the first Wednesday at film camp.

That evening, we journeyed into Westwood for the first time. After eating at In-N-Out, we headed to Urban Outfitters.

Being from Johnstown, this was my first time in the store, and it was pretty cool. It was here that David and Auggie decided to help me define my fashion sense.

Together, we picked out two V-neck T-shirts. That's it. They are extremely comfortable, and I hear that Target is the place to get a bunch for cheap. Truth be told, I had wanted to try out a V-neck long before that night.

I got a short haircut the night before I left LA. Upon returning home, my Johnstown peeps saw my haircut and new clothes and labeled me as a hipster.

I think hipsters are cool, but I don't want to be one. I don't want the hipster mentality. I want to be Chad. Still, that doesn't mean I can't steal some hipster fashion once in awhile.

P.S. Here's a funny blog to entertain and distract you for awhile longer.

http://stuffhipstershate.tumblr.com/

Exposition! (Part Two)

I live in the small town of Johnstown, PA. It's about two hours south of Pittsburgh. Residents of the fine city agree... Johnstown exists in a bubble, completely separate from the rest of the world.

We are most famous for the 1889 Flood, which wiped out the town and forever sealed our bubble, and a restaurant where people roll hot dogs on their sweaty arms.

Still, I love Johnstown. I wouldn't want to grow up anywhere else.