Category: Junior Literary

Texas recently passed an abortion ban that allows just about anybody to sue abortion providers, and anyone that has aided the women receiving the abortions. It also prohibits women from seeking abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. This ban does not exclude rape and incest survivors from this bill. Yet again, we are at the mercy of white men and big corporations. They continue to police our body and our choices, disregarding the needs of the female population. It’s unconstitutional, a violation of free will, and downright  unethical.

Did you think this through?

Here’s what my concerns are, if these women are not allowed to receive abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, then who is going to take care of the baby when it is possibly put up for adoption? Social workers don’t get paid nearly enough and orphanage capacity could possibly be at a all time high. With a pandemic still being prominent to this day, this couldn’t be good for the health of the workers and the children that are in their care. So many children will be put in the system, and that could be traumatizing enough. If the child isn’t put up for adoption, then they may be subjected to a home where they aren’t wanted. This could affect the mental state of an entire generation, leading to something way darker.

 

A Different POV

It was so upsetting to see this ban being passed, because as a black woman it was 10x more scarier for us. Did you know that black women are more likely to die from pregnancies than any other race in the United States? It’s really heartbreaking for me to see these women being forced to carry a child no matter the circumstance. Our relationship to the medical field is already strained as is, this could possibly push us farther away from it. After all, the BIPOC  and low-income communities are more affected by this, as they makeup almost half of the population in Texas.

Food for an Annoyed Opinion

For one, what a woman chooses to do with her body is none of anyone’s business but her own. Whether you are pro-choice or pro-life, the decisions of these women deserve to be respected. Instead of worrying about what a woman does with her body, maybe we should be focusing on real problems in our country like mass shootings, hate crimes, and suicide rates.

we meet again, blog world! i’m excited to present my second ever series! this one will focus on one of my biggest passions: music. i’ll be talking about my favorite albums and what each song means to me. for my first installment, i’ll discuss an album that is indescribably important and definitive to me- pieces of you by jewel- track by gorgeous track. i’ll do this particular album in two parts because jewel was kind enough to give the world 14 songs in one work of art, and as grateful as i am for it, i do want a reasonable word count 🙂

#1 who will save your soul

this song is so clever and truthful. jewel sings about the conflict between society’s darkness and cravings for light. i think it’s an excellent way to start off the album because it sets the tone for the charming lyricism displayed throughout.

my favorite line: there are addictions to feed and there are mouths to pay

#2 pieces of you

it’s difficult to describe the way i feel about this recklessly beautiful song. it speaks of those in society who are looked down upon and asks the question, “do you hate them because they’re pieces of you?”. it explores the idea that hatred and prejudice often stems from internalized fears and insecurities. this song takes a bold, honest look at the very worst of our nature, and it’s the perfect title track for this masterpiece.

my favorite line: she’s an ugly girl, does that make you feel safe?

#3 little sister

little sister tackles a topic that jewel always captures brilliantly- addiction. the song essentially tells the story of a young woman struggling with drug abuse. the lyrics are so incredibly insightful, speaking on the emptiness of seeking refuge in substances and the loneliness of relying on artificial hope. another important facet of the song is the undertone of fear that life without drugs could be just as sorrowful as life with them, which leaves a devastating melancholy with each listen.

my favorite line: my little sister is a zombie in a body with no soul

#4 foolish games

aaaahhh!!! this song, y’all! gorgeous. one of the many things i love about foolish games is that it can be interpreted in several different ways. for me, the song is about looking back on a lost love and deciding to leave it in the past. nothing i could say could truly do this song justice, and it absolutely deserves the credit it gets as one of jewel’s most well-known and beloved songs.

my favorite line: well in case you failed to notice, in case you failed to see, this is my heart bleeding before you, this is me down on my knees

#5 near you always

this is easily one of my favorite love songs of all time. it’s thoughtful, bright, and achingly sweet, but it still manages to have a realistic feel. it’s a bit unconventional and could be seen in a different light, though. after all, the opening line is please don’t say i love you, which isn’t exactly the most romantic statement one could make. however, the lyrics that follow are just so clever and kind that you can’t mistake the lovely intentions of the song.

my favorite line: please don’t bring me flowers, they only whisper the sweet things you’d say

#6 painters

i genuinely cannot begin to describe how devastating this song is. it’s absolutely one of the saddest songs i’ve ever known, and i can seldom listen to it without having a miniature breakdown. painters is soul-crushingly gorgeous, though, and if i were emotionally stable enough, i would probably keep it on repeat. it tells the story an eight year-old woman looking back on her life as an artist with her husband who died and the family they built together. i could never say enough about how harrowing and stunning this song is to me, and it was so difficult for me to chose a favorite line, but the one i chose is probably one of the lines that best reflects the nostalgia and sweetness of the song.

my favorite line: they thought blueprints were too sad so they made them yellow

#7 morning song

this is one of the simpler songs on the album, which gives it its very own unique beauty. the song is just a plea from one to another to stop time and enjoy the moment. it uses every day language to evoke a sense of warmth and comfort that make this song such an interesting, necessary addition to the album.

my favorite line: stop worrying about it, yes, the cat’s already been fed, come on, darlin’, let’s go back to bed

 

to end this, i’d like to acknowledge the woman behind this beautiful work, one of the artists who inspires me most- jewel kilcher. without her and her poetry, i would never be the person or artist i aspire to be. i will continue to use her voice as a guide while i work to develop my own.

 

 

 

 

This is a waste of time. You’re sitting here, reading a blog that literally TELLS you that it’s a waste of time. Honestly, you could be doing something productive with your time. What’s wrong with you? You weirdo. Go read a book, or just… just anything that won’t be a waste of time. Please, nothing interesting happens here. Not in this blog. So just move along. Next!

Hey. Why are you still here. Didn’t I JUST tell you how much of a waste of time this blog is? Oh well. Not that I can tell you what to do. Well, actually, I have. I used the human urge to rebel against authority to my advantage. Just kidding. There’s nothing interesting in this blog I just wanted to mess with you a bit. Look at you, shocked by the realization that not everything has a deeper meaning.

The world is fascinating. There’s so much to see, so much to do. So many things to read that aren’t THIS BLOG. You’re expecting something, aren’t you? Some big finale? A twist? The answer to life itself? Come on. Life is the result of itself. Life is given meaning because it is life. There. You can stop reading now. Massive revelation. An epiphany, just for you.

Oh, look at you. Paragraph four of this mess. Congratulations. You’ve done it. You’ve managed to completely ignore what I was saying. Frankly, I’m not even sure if this one’s a blog! I mean, if you’re reading this, then it is. I’ve written so many blogs, that I have no idea when you’ll be reading this one. I hope you’re enjoying all this time you’re wasting though.

Are you on your phone? Your computer? You could be doing so much more with those! Imagine the possibilities! You could even read a blog that ISN’T wasting your time. But why would you do that? Why would you use your time in a beneficial way?

Look. Yeah, there’s a lot you could be doing right now. But, in the end, I really appreciate you reading this. Sometimes, you just have to do something meaningless to get your mind off things. So, hey, if you’re here for that, thank you for choosing this one. I hope you feel better soon, or just enjoy the time you’ve spent here reading this.

Well, I suppose even this is going to end. This little fraction of your time that you spent reading this. You wasted your time on it. So did I.  It’s not time you’re ever going to get back. Time is important, you know. Well, it can be. Time is as important as what you do with it. So, I have to wonder, was the time you spent reading this important?

“Are people born wicked, or have wickedness thrust upon them?” 

The infamous Wicked has made its way into the blog space. (Well, the soundtrack at least.)  This week I went into the magical World of Oz to explore the depths of the musical stylings of Wicked. Although I previously did have some knowledge of Wicked, I have never listened to the whole album start to finish. Let me just say this, if you are an avid Broadway fan like myself, I suggest you give this album a listen in its completion. What am I saying? If you’re an avid Broadway fan, you probably already have.

I pushed off listening to Wicked because I was convinced it was overhyped. (It was not overhyped by the way.) The vocal choices of the cast and lyrical choices of the writers makes for such an immersive experience that the listener just gets completely lost in the story. 

It was so hard to pick favorites off of this soundtrack to write about because each song tells an essential part of the plot. But even though it was challenging, my human nature did its job, and I did end up picking favorites.

SECOND INSTALLMENT: WICKED

3. Popular

Ok, yes I know, very predictable. But the honest truth is that you just can’t cheat music. The song completely embodies the whole make-over trope in the best possible way.

It really gives perspective into both of the character’s mindset. The lyrics of the song aren’t your average “Popular girl gives less popular girl a makeover” vibes. The wording choice and responses from Elphaba to Glinda give you insight into what both characters are feeling in the moment.

Glinda is offering to give Elphie a makeover in the song, but Elphie turns down the offer numerous times. And from the what Glinda’s lines in the song portrays, she doesn’t really want to help her either. Glinda is secretly scared that if she makes Elphie more presentable, people will end up gravitating towards her instead. The lyrics give a fascinating insight to both characters and how they are feeling at the moment.

2. I’m Not That Girl

Something about Idina Menzel’s voice is just so entrancing, and I’ll repeat it time and time again. Idina Menzel just knows how to really work a song to pull emotion from the listener. Not only through her choice of vocal stylings, but even the way she enunciates her words is perfect musical theater.

In the song, Menzel’s character sings about how she is not the ideal girl that gets chosen in the end of a fairytale. While the song is specific to the character’s experience, it can also be interpreted to be relatable to almost anyone. I feel like everyone has had one time or another where they felt inadequate and like they were nobody’s first choice. The song has a sense of relatability in the aspect that it is a common feeling that lots of people have experienced, which I think, is why I was so drawn to it.

The emotion in the lyrics and music can really be felt as Idina sings. She carries the emotion of her character so well. I really think there is no better choice for the role of Elphaba.

1. Defying Gravity

Predictable? Maybe. Any less amazing because of said predictability? Absolutely not.

This song has been on every one of my favorite Broadway playlists since my early middle school years. Even before I had an interest in Wicked, I had a certain affinity for the song. From being introduced to the song on Glee, to listening to the song when I first heard the original years later, Defying Gravity has always been a staple in my musical hobby. 

Something about the song just is so raw and inspiring. The way Elphaba took her own fate into her own hands after being told for so long of her own limits. She just decided that enough was enough, and she sang her heart out in an empowering melody about defying odds. 

Not just the lyrics are empowering, the power that is put behind the lyrics with Idina Menzel’s voice add just as much feeling. Her famous high note conveys the feeling of strength that really sets the scene. The power in Idina’s voice just fits so perfectly with the tone of the lyrics.

Ever song on this album does such an incredible job of not only conveying dialogue through song, but also showing the characters’ inner emotions and feelings. Each song gives the listener such a rollercoaster ride of emotion that makes the album so much more enjoyable. If you are like me, and don’t have access to view the Broadway musical in all its glory, I highly suggest sitting down and listening to the album from start to finish. The picture that the music paints is so easy and captivating to follow. Even through only song, Wicked is an all-around immersive album

hello again, blog world! i’m so glad to have gotten acquainted with you. i feel that you and i will get along quite well, as long as i’m inspired and you’re willing to listen. it’s still very new and exciting to have a space to write about whatever i choose, no matter how seemingly trivial. this series of inspirational female characters has been so interesting for me to write! i have loved exploring my favorite fictional worlds for the series, and i will absolutely be continuing to visit them here. however, for my next series, i will be discussing another passion of mine- music. in this post, i will end my very first blog series on a rather… whimsical note. this is why i want to be moira rose when i grow up.

over the past year, i have absolutely fallen in love with the beautiful, warm, truthful, hilarious story of schitt’s creek. i had friends and family tell me for years that i would love the show, but i never took the time to watch it. in all honesty, i assumed it would be another try-hard modern comedy, but i was pleasantly surprised to find a show that now means so very much to me. it follows the story of the formerly wealthy rose family after they lose their fortune and move into a roach motel in the town of schitt’s creek. 

moira rose is the matriarch of the rose family. she is difficult to accurately describe without experiencing her character firsthand (hint: watch schitt’s creek if you haven’t! if you don’t love it as much as i do, blame it on my amateur blogging skills.) she is one of the most masterfully created comedic characters i have seen on my screen. moira, truthfully, is self-obsessed, deluded, and oftentimes clueless. the brilliance of the character, and most on this wonderful show, is that you still find yourself loving this silly, charming, oblivious woman, despite her flaws.

the show, ultimately, is about family. in the beginning, the roses weren’t very close. they all lived in their own worlds, rarely bothering to spend time together or listen to each other. when they were forced to move, though, they learned what it truly meant to be a family- not just sharing blood but sharing sorrow and joy and life. each member of the family grew in their own way, but moira’s journey is particularly heartwarming to me. in the beginning, she seemed cold and vain, but when she was truly put to the test, it became clear that she is a strong, kind, and capable woman. normally, a character of her kind wouldn’t particularly interest me, but something about her balance between glamour and honesty is so compelling. moira is a character i never expected to find such comfort in, but her presence on the screen never fails to make me feel at home.

moira rose mini playlist:

rich girl- gwen stefani

vogue- madonna

the joke- brandi carlile

maybe this time- glee version (i know, just trust me on this one)

slipping through my fingers- abba

 

 

Hello and welcome back to top ten classic horror movies! I hope that the wait wasn’t too bad. Thank you for sticking around for the second part anyways! The scare rating is also featured the same as last time! How scary it is does not control where the movie is ranked on the list! Like I said before, there will be mature content and spoilers included in this segment along with my own biased opinion on each movie! Lets just get back into it! 

 

5. The Strangers (2008)

The Strangers was another one of my favorites for a while. It was remade into “The Strangers: Prey at Night” in 2018 but I still prefer the first one. The screenplay of this film was inspired by two different true happenings. In the film there were three masked antagonists, one man and two women. A newly unhappy couple lead the movie as our protagonists. They make some good decisions and some very.. very disappointing ones. The masks used in the film easily accomplished that unsettling feeling for me.  They didn’t say much through out the movie but when they did they always spoke in short sentences, amplified by their soft monotone voices. I’m just saying if I saw one of these people outside of my window at night… I would either have a rush of adrenaline and go ham on them myself, or that adrenaline would move to my legs, not stopping until I’m in a whole different country. My favorite line from the movie, and probably the most famous one is:

Kristen McKay: Why are you doing this to us?

Dollface: Because you were home.

Scare Rating: 8.5/10. Never looking out of my windows at night again.

4. Psycho (1960)

My mom introduced this to me about a year ago. Before watching this movie I had seen a little of the spin off television series named Bates Motel. I wasn’t surprised to find that the movie was in black and white since the iconic scene of the woman getting stabbed in the shower. Even though I had heard of the movie, the ending plot twist really caught me off guard and made the movie. This was a super impactful and iconic movie that the line “We all go a little mad sometimes” was also referenced in the movie Scream which was number 10 on my rankings!

Scare Rating: 4/10 uncomfy uncomfy uncomfyyyy.

 

 

3. Nightmare on Elm street (1984)

The concept of this movie is possibly one of the most creative I’ve seen for the time period that it was made. In the film, they use different events and phrases that set up cliché’s in future horror movies. The main antagonist is named Freddy Krueger. His whole character is based around being able to kill people in their dreams and he is known for his iconic character design. He wears a fedora hat, a green and red sweater, has burnt skin and obtains an iconic glove with knives for fingers. Yeah, freaky I know. He usually likes to play around with his victims like a cat and mouse dynamic which really makes my skin crawl. Its intriguing to me to see how the protagonists try to avoid sleeping in order to get away from Freddy. They try caffeine, pills, and other things. They all seem to fail though. Sleep is inevitable and that’s the scariest part. There is some backstory around the character of Freddy Krueger but I think that you should watch the movies to figure it out!

Scare rating: 7/10. No sleep for me </3

 

2.  Friday The 13th (1980)

This is one of the most popular horror movies if not THE most popular of all time. If you haven’t at least heard of Friday The 13th, Jason Voorhees, or his iconic hockey mask you have been living under a rock. This franchise has twelve slasher films, a television series, novels, comic books, video games, and tie‑in merchandise. I actually bought the Friday The 13th game this year. Anyways, if you haven’t heard of this film I’ll summarize it really quickly.  Jason Voorhees is a hockey masked serial killer that preys on.. active.. teenagers at Camp Crystal Lake. I really loved the lore and all of the plot twists that occupy these movies. I definitely recommend them!

Scare Rating: 3/10. Its an amazing classic, but not the scariest I have seen. 

 

 

1. Halloween (1978)

Finally! I’m so excited to talk about this movie. My Mother and I share a love for this movie; its both of our favorites. We have Michael Myers’s mask and outfit in our Halloween storage boxes. Speaking of Halloween, the movie takes place on October 31st. This movie isn’t cheesy nor is it a funny spin off like the title would have you believe. Halloween is about a serial murderer by the name of Michael Myers. His main goal is to kill off his entire family because it brought him inner peace. In the opening scene of the movie,  a younger Michael is seen murdering his older sister, Judith Myers, and then brought in by the police to be ultimately sent to a mental institution. The primary protagonist of the series is Laurie Strode, Michael’s unknown younger biological sister. When Laurie was only a baby, she was left out on the street, eventually being adopted by the Strode family. This protected her from Michael for the first decade of her life, but Michael soon found out about his abandoned sister and targeted her for his final victim.  Halloween was THE movie that set off the babysitter trope for other horror movies. His character wears a mechanic’s navy jump suit and a pale face mask with brown hair on the top. He uses a sharp kitchen knife for a weapon as well as whatever else he can find if he doesn’t have access to one. He walks in a slow and calm manner, including perfect posture as he does his killings. He also has incredible strength. Gosh I love this movie, and even the more recent add-ons to the series were just really cool! They even included the same actress for Laurie as well, Jamie Lee Curtis! All together, this is just my absolute favorite classic horror movie series! 

Scare Rating: 6/10. Don’t ask me to babysit your kids.

 

That’s the end of the list everyone! I appreciate your reading and waiting for this part! I hope you enjoyed it and feel free to leave a comment about your top ten or what you think about mine! Keep your eye out for my blogs in October! I’ll be revisiting horror themes! See ya!

Welcome back to this weeks edition of The Different Voices of MSA. This week I talked to my friend Taylor Herron about her art discipline.

“So Taylor what is your art discipline?”

“My art discipline is visual arts”

“How long have you been practicing visual art?”

“I have been drawing since pre-k, my main thing has always been people, so I thought that the best thing for me to do is to come to an art school to show off my talent.”

“If you had to choose another art discipline which one w0uld you choose?”

“I’d choose literary because I always write poems and short stories in my free time”

“What is your favorite style of art”

“Realism, or comic book style art work.”

“Who is your favorite artist?”

“All of them.”

And lastly “How did you find out about MSA?”

“I found out about MSA in middle school through my mom, and now here I am”

That’s all for this week! A special thanks to Taylor for allowing me to interview her.

Is this a blog? I’m not super sure. I mean, yeah, it COULD be a blog. But what if it isn’t? Why wouldn’t it be a blog? Does the blog blog the blogger or the blogger blog the blog? Why is a blog? Blog? Oh, oh boy! I’m not too sure what this mess is here, please ignore it. Oh dear. My thoughts are scattered right now, it’s been pretty stressful. 

So, welcome to another blog, I think. Frankly, I’m not even sure. I write a five page mini history lesson on writing, finishing on blogs and the idea of what a blog is. I’m still not sure. I could have been wrong! What if I wasn’t? What if, I was only half right? Oh but these trivial things don’t matter. No, they don’t matter at all!

Hello! Goodbye! This is the end of this blog, well, it would be, but it isn’t. Is it? You would know, wouldn’t you. Is this interesting? Is it engaging? Do you feel nervous? Is this too fast paced? Should I slow down? I’ll try slowing down.

I ponder wearily, listening to the noise of my surroundings, imagining the skies above, is this too slow? Oh, I don’t fuss much over, however, as in the end, this joke, this… façade, is only for this paragraph. I, the author, the writer, the weaver of words, control the pace. Oh, not you, not little you, oh dear reader, oh dear precious reader. What could happen next? Well, anything! This is, possibly, a blog, after all! I could talk about the white wooden fences, lightly gilded by moss that’s shade is a sickly green. I could write about a river, with a dilapidated bridge, children playing on the banks, poking passing fish with sticks. Oh, anything could happen, whatever I desire, the cold of the artic, or the deepest lakes of fire. Fantastic! It’s fantastic! Though, I do, in fact, believe that you, dear reader, are prepared, and possibly even anxious, to get this bit, this little pest of a joke, over and done with. Well, good for you, oh dear, dear reader. This paragraph, this moment, is finished and done.

We’ve reached an ending, of sorts, though we’ve only just started. I must ask, how have you been doing? Have you been enjoying my little pastime?  I certainly have. Oh, I’ll miss you so, so much. It’s been raining so often and I know not when it will stop. It could be over today, or we could have weather worse than before. What’s that? You want to learn something? You think that if you don’t learn something it isn’t a blog? Oh, how dreary. That’s rather sad, don’t you think?

Are you incapable of appreciating something for what it is? Are you dense? Out of your mind, even? Oh, I write these blogs for you and you don’t even? I swear! Well, no matter, I must calm down. Oh, oh boy. Doesn’t like my blogs? Oh, I’ll blog at them! I’ll blog harder than before!

YES! This IS a blog! Isn’t that the question you so desperately wanted an answer to? Why wouldn’t it be? I’m blogging. It’s just me, you, and you, and you, and you, and oh. Who cares. It’s just me and the lot of you. No, I am, in fact, not British! I am simply quite upset at your audacity. I am the writer, so if I say it’s a blog then it is!

I suppose the goodbye is only getting closer. One day these blogs will stop. Will you miss them? Will you miss me? Oh. I hope you miss me. I miss you every second I’m not writing these. So, farewell reader, I hope time does you well. Oh, and, please, stop by for my next one. Live long, and blog well!