It's one of those days when you'd just as soon not go out with your mate - jealousy could flare up over nothing at all.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008
4:01 pm Headache


Thinking of going to see High School Musical 3? You should probably read the brilliant review I did for class first...

“High School Musical 3: Senior Year” is the perfect movie – if you’re a girl between the ages of six and ten.

The third movie in the High School Musical trilogy, HSM3, follows the same corny plotline as its two predecessors – athlete Troy Bolton (Efron) and braniac Gabriella Montez (Hudgens) struggle to make their unlikely love work while singing about it along with their friends - but this one released straight to the big screen, instead of premiering on the Disney Channel. A bigger movie means a bigger budget, and this is evident in the flashy sets and costumes provided for such singing and dancing numbers as “Now or Never” and “I Want It All.”

The gang of six is back as Kenny Ortega, choreographer of Dirty Dancing directs for the third time. This time is the last time, though, and the pressure’s on as the cast must decide what their future holds once they’ve graduated from Albuquerque’s East High School. Troy, played by Zac Efron (Hairspray) is sweet and only a little annoying as he is forced to decide between the basketball career he and his father (Bart Johnson) have always dreamed of, or staying close to his Berkeley bound girlfriend, Gabriella Montez. Montez is played by the talentless Vanessa Hudgens who’s only facial expression throughout the movie consists of pouty lips and furrowed eyebrows. Corbin Bleu (Galaxy Quest) and Monique Coleman also return as Chad Danforth and Taylor McKessie, Troy and Gabriella’s wise-cracking (and more entertaining) best friends. But the two people who steal the show are the movie’s brother and sister team of Ashley Tisdale (The Suite Life of Zack and Cody) as Sharpay Evans and Lucas Grabeel as Ryan Evans. Tisdale is hilarious and dead-on as Sharpay Evans, the queen of East High School who is determined to star in the senior year drama production and win Troy’s heart. Her (gay?) brother in the movie, Grabeel sings and sashays his way into the audience’s heart with his obvious talent.

Two new characters make an appearance in the movie as well, inciting rumors of a possible High School Musical sequel involving a new cast. Jimmie Zara, played by newcomer Matt Prokop, appears as Troy’s younger, goofball teammate, while Jemma McKenzie-Brown plays Tiara Gold, Sharpay’s one-time personal assistant who tries to sabotage Sharpay’s musical number in the senior show.

While older audiences are sure to roll their eyes at the predictable plot line and cheesy lines – at one point, Ms. Darbus (Alyson Reed), the overly involved drama teacher tells a whiny Troy (Efron) to “follow his instincts” – younger audiences are sure to love Sharpay Evans’ shiny outfits and all of the new dance routines. In fact, as I watched the movie, three elementary school aged girls in the row in front of me stood up and danced around to “A Night to Remember.”

While the music is catchy and the dancing is impeccable, some scenes are definitely cringe-worthy. The opening scene shows a sweaty Zac Efron in the midst of his last basketball game at East High School. While it’s clear he has grown up since HSM2 (he’s sprouted armpit hair since last we saw him), his “angry” face just comes across as looking, well, constipated. Still, his inability to express simple emotions is overshadowed when Hudgens, dressed in all white, rises from the crowd to sing to Troy during the last seconds of the game. It was all I could do not to laugh out loud at this apparently serious scene. Other eye-roll-inducing scenes include when Troy and Gabriella are singing about the rest of their lives in Troy’s childhood tree house. Mid-song, the tree house roof opens to reveal a nighttime sky. A “tree house with a retractable roof” is sure to be on every ten year old girl’s Christmas list this year, thanks to this romantic scene.

The most cringe-worthy scene, however, was Efron’s “Scream,” in which Troy sneaks into his high school after hours to sing and dance away his frustration at his uncertain future a la Kevin Bacon in Footloose. Efron step-ball-changes his way through a gym raining basketballs as he sings such clever lyrics as “I want my own dream/So bad I’m gonna scream.” The scene is laughable, but the dancing is excellent.

A movie with a sophisticated plotline and Oscar-worthy acting, High School Musical 3 is not. But if you want to see a feel-good movie with songs you’ll have stuck in your head for days, HSM3 fits the bill. Just make sure you bring a friend you can laugh with.



I did. I brought Steph :)
Love,
Tara

You're not exactly self-centered, but you can tell today's energy is best spent on personal projects.

Sunday, Nov. 23, 2008
2:56 pm Common Room


Well kids, we are in full party-prep mode here at the Penthouse. Maria is furiously cleaning the bathroom as I rearrange our common room furniture to accommodate 20 guests. That's right. Twenty people will be arriving at 6 pm in honor of our Friends Thanksgiving Feast. The deal is that everyone brings a dish, and we'll provide the rest. Here's the text from the invite I sent out:


THE Thanksgiving Feast Extravaganza
Because I'm thankful for all of you!!! ...well, most of the time.

Event Info
Host: Tara
Type: Holiday Party
Network: BU


Time and Place
Date: Sunday, November 23, 2008
Time: 6:00pm - 10:00pm

Description
Come to #### for our own Thanksgiving Feast. It'll give you a chance to stretch your stomachs before Thursday. If everyone brings some kind of dish, dessert, or appetizer and some alcohol we should be drunk and bloated in no time. Just write on the wall whatever you're bringing so we don't have too many of one thing. Also, invite whoever you want!

Maria and I went on a crazy shopping trip yesterday, in order to stock up on cooking supplies. I loaded up on champagne for the delicious cocktail I'm making for everyone. See below.

Cranberry Bog Cocktail (I heart foodnetwork.com).

For food, I got canned cranberry sauce, and I'm popping two and a half dozen Pillsbury Flaky rolls into the oven. I bought an apple pie at the Applefest that is thawing now, so I'll be reheating that, as well. I also found a delicious recipe for a salad and dressing. I had to like, quadruple the recipe, but it's coming out pretty well, so far.

Pear and Blue Cheese Salad

Mmm. I got both of these recipes off of foodnetwork.com. Cooking shows are all I've been watching lately. They just suck me in!

We left Christina and Noelle in charge of cooking a 23 lb. turkey because I refused to participate in the ritual slaughter of innocent animals. When Maria and I went to visit them at 1 pm, the turkey still wasn't in the oven... so we're not sure it will be done in time. It should be interesting. Maria made a delicious looking heath bar chocolate pudding/cake thing last night that I cannot wait to eat. She's also using her mom's recipe to whip up some stuffed shells. People have been calling us all day and last night to find out what we still need, so it's been kind of fun dispatching people to pick up cranberries and whipped cream and icecream. Oh man! I just forgot I still need cranberry juice for the cocktails! This party is costing a small fortune, but you can't put a price on thankfulness, right? ...Right??

I'll let you know how things go...!

Love,
Tara

Focus on your ultimate goals, and then use your powers of persuasion to negotiate arrangements for achieving them.

Monday, November 17, 2008
5:02 pm Why is it so dark out??

Words/Sayings I Use That My Parents Didn't Use

The other day I was on the phone with my mother talking about "pregaming" when she asked me what on earth I was talking about. After I explained, this got me thinking about all the things we say today that weren't used back in the day. With the help of urbandictionary.com, I will attempt to explain their meanings. This post is rated PG-13 for language.

1.) Pregame

Urban Dictionary definition:
v. To drink before going to a party. This most often happens because the party where you are going to will be carding and you are under age or because you want to drink something hard to start your night off. Often pregaming happens at the house and involves taking shots.
1) We really need to pregame tonight before we go out.
2) I really pregamed heavily last night. I feel really sick now.

Every night when my friends and I go out, the first thing we plan is where we are going to pregame. In fact, sometimes we won't even decide where we are going that night until we are actually pregaming. Luckily for me and Maria, our suite has become pregame central. It is quite an honor. Try to think of pregaming as the equivalent of an appetizer... for drinking.

2.) Cock-Block
Urban Dictionary definition:
One who prevents another from scoring sexually.

ex.) Trudy and Dan frequently had time alone but her cockblocking roommate ruined any chances they had to have sex.

My friends and I, and most people, I think, use a looser definition. Being cockblocked could mean a guy was prevented from having a long conversation with a girl that could eventually lead to any kind of potential hook up. Let's take an example from a couple weeks ago at An Tua Nua, shall we?
T was on the dance floor with her friends when there was a lull between songs. Immediately, balding, 30-something guy moves in. Hey, what's your name? Do you come here often? T tries to be polite while looking around desperately for help. BOG (bald, old guy) is just telling her how lame this bar is while TOF (tall, old friend) looks on, when out of no where, S swoops in and puts his arm around T. "Hey, I'm S. Who are you?" he says, sticking out one hand to BOG for a hand shake while one arm remains firmly around T. BOG mumbles something and walks away. Cock Block successful! In this situation, S successfully cock-blocked BOG, and T is grateful.

There are situations where the girl is not so grateful, however. A week previous to this, T was chatting with S at the same bar, when her guy friend S2 started getting awkward. T was clearly enjoying her conversation with S (oh, there was hair tossing), but S2 wouldn't take a hint and kept interrupting the conversation, despite T's death glares. This is an example of an annoying cock-block.

Those are your two new words for the day. More lessons to follow!
Love,
Tara

You may discover that you have backing from somewhere or someone you didn't think knew you existed.

Saturday, November 15, 2008
9:49 pm My room...on a Saturday night...

This has been the weekend of proms and protests. Well, one prom and one protest. Last night was every bit as wild and crazy as we thought it would be.

Friday started a tad hecticly. I was on the T (I HATE the T) on my way to work when all of a sudden the conductor announced that everyone had to get off at Blanford because there had been an accident in one of the tunnels. As I got off the T and saw the two packed shuttle buses we were all supposed to use, I realized I was going to be late for work. So, I ran through Kenmore square to the Kenmore station, hoping the accident was between Blanford and Kenmore. After paying my T fare AGAIN, it became evident that this was a big accident that wasn't going to clear up anytime soon. Swearing and sweating, I left Kenmore and ran into the street to try to find a cab, all the while trying to call the Improper and then another intern, Kyle, when I couldn't remember my boss's extension. While on the phone with Kyle, standing in the middle of Commonwealth Avenue with my hand out to hail a cab, some woman literally walked 5 yards ahead of me AND TOOK MY CAB. I'm told that Kyle's conversation with my boss, Amanda, about how I was going to be late, went something like this:

Kyle: There was an accident on the T, and Tara just almost killed a woman for taking her cab.

Amanda (the chillest boss ever): *shrugs* Well, when she gets here, she gets here.

FINALLY, I hailed a cab and got to work. Brett, another intern, was also late. He was stuck underground on a T, with no cell service, for an hour and a half. Can you imagine? I considered myself lucky to have such a crazy morning, in the end.

All day at work I kept dancing in my seat and choreographing my dance moves for the night ahead. Then I had this text conversation with Jess that just put my excitement over the top:

Me: I would just like to say...how freaking excited I am for tonight!!!!
Jess: Girl it's going to be a night to remember! Haha actually, i hope we can remember some of the night at least!

I rushed home after work to begin the "getting ready" process with my roommates. Things were going well until Maria realized the security tag was still on her dress. This set us a little bit behind schedule as we furiously googled "how to remove a security tag" and called everyone we could think of for suggestions. In the end, Maria had to wear a dress she's already worn, which was unfortunate, but she pulled it off. I'd say we all looked pretty bangin'.

After our pregame party, we all piled in a cab and headed to the Hyatt Downtown. We seriously danced for 3 hours straight. It was magical. I heart COM. And I heart this picture.

I woke up this morning, and I was sore. All over. My head hurt (for obvious reasons), but my entire body also hurt. I guess that's what I get for busting a move at my old age. But I worked through the pain so Maria and I could make our way down to City Hall to protest Proposition 8. Today was the nation-wide protest in cities all across America, and it was great to be a part of it.

The weather wasn't great, but luckily we didn't get rained on. We heard some really moving speakers and chanted A LOT. I got to see some great signs, too. Unfortunately, my camera ran out of battery so I didn't get a lot of pictures. It was great, though!

WHAT DO WE WANT?

EQUALITY!

WHEN DO WE WANT IT?

NOW!

Love,
Tara

The Full Moon reminds you that even if others aren't bending over backward to help, you can keep it together.

Thursday, November 13, 2008
7:21 pm My room

24.5 hours from now, COM Prom 2008, my very last COM Prom, will begin. My Blackberry's text inbox is full of texts discussing dress details and tomorrow night's plans. What are we drinking? What are we wearing? When are we meeting? The excitement is palpable.

Okay, I'm being a little dramatic (!), but everyone's pretty psyched to get dressed up and dance all night. In true Team Taria fashion, Maria and I planned our very own COM Prom Pregame Party. Last year's was quite a success, and this year certainly promises to deliver. Here is the text of the invitation Maria sent out:

Hooray For Tariawood (the theme of COM Prom is Hollywood)

Join Maria and Tara as they finally come out like Lindsey and Samantha, minus the coke and car crashes.

Host: Maria and Tara

Type: Other-Carnival

Date: Friday, November 14, 2008

Time: 7:30 pm - 9 pm

Description:

I guess the obvious assumption is Tara as Lindsey and Me as Samantha. I'm ok with that.

If you were at Com Prom either of the past two years and saw the spectacle that was Taria, you will know what to expect (pure chaos and insanity while dancing crazily in a hotel and then downing sausages on the T ride home).

Let's start the festivities at 7:30 pm in StuVi. Drink and be merry. We will have some liquor but you might want to bring some too for good measure.

We will depart for the hotel at 9 pm.

Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. The money goes to the Katie Bleck Scholarship Foundation. Take comfort in knowing you are supporting a truly good cause while being completely intoxicated.

There will be a DJ, cash bar, and raffle with prizes including a gift basket from the Harpoon Brewery.

Com Prom will be held at the Hyatt. It is neither limited to COM students nor is it a prom.

Here are some fav pics from past years:

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love,

Tara

Apparently, a certain party needs reassurance that you still have faith in a venture or relationship.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008
2:26 pm My room

I love my new phone.

When I was home this past weekend, my parents bought me a Blackberry Pearl (in pink) as an early Christmas present. It's beautiful. Seriously, just looking at it makes me happy. That's a little sad, but I'm okay with it.

First of all, it's pink. This was a requirement. My last phone was a Pink Razr - Pink Razr the third. But somehow I got water in it, and it kept shutting off when I was in the middle of phone conversations. Very frustrating.

The phone before the Pink Razr III was my mom's Black Razr. I spilled an entire glass of diet Coke on that one. Well, actually, I spilled an entire glass of diet Coke on myself, while the phone was in my pocket. But the phone miraculously still worked after some airing out.

I was using the Black Razr temporarily after I knocked my Pink Razr II off a table one morning when I was trying to turn off the alarm. That phone started dialing letters and numbers on it's own. Especially the number 7. It really freaked me out.

And before that, was foreign Pink Razr that we don't really count because I ordered it from some sketchy website after I lost Pink Razr I at a Dave Matthews concert. Sketchy foreign Pink Razr was returned to Indonesia almost immediately.

Before the Pink Razr I, which I truly loved until I lost, was Silver Razr, which was probably my favorite phone of all time because I got it as a surprise graduation present right before I was leaving the house to graduate. I remember I was tweaking out because the phone I had at the time, which I believe used to be Stephanie's or Mom's (?) - I shall name it Tiny Flip Phone - stopped letting me text because Dad was at the store switching my number to the Silver Razr. I even called him freaking out about it while he was literally buying me the new phone.

Tiny Flip Phone was a good phone, but that was the one I ran up a $1000 phone bill on in Spain. I can't really blame the phone for that... So glad we can laugh about that now...............

And before that was Large Flip Phone, my first personal cell phone. I spent many nights waiting for boys to call me on it.

Hmmm... writing all of this I'm realizing I haven't had a lot of good luck with cell phones in the past.

Good thing we got insurance on this one.

Call me! Text me! Email me! It's all on my phone!
Love,
Tara

A quick edit of the master plan may become necessary.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008
5:56 pm My room

That our nation voted Barack Obama to be our next president does not mean things are going to change. It means they have changed. It means that we, the people, have joined together and collectively said no. No to war. No to torture. No to oppression. No to extortion, corruption, and a lack of accountability. And then, one yes.

Yes we can.

Please read this blog post by CNN contributer, Bob Greene. It will give you the chills.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/11/05/greene-what-the-silence-said/

This is a good, good day.

Love,
Tara

You're standing up for the status quo today, even if that's usually not your style.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008
10:10 am COM Student Services window

My tears of joy over Obama's win last night have dried up - fast. The fact that this country can do something to make me so proud, and then suddenly act so utterly intolerant is so discouraging.

Proposition 8 should not be this close.

It should not be a question.

It should not even be a proposition.

Let me define marriage for you. It is two people who love each other and want to commit to each other for the rest of their lives. I don't know, I just made that up. But it makes sense, right? Notice how I didn't mention anything about sexual orientation being a factor.

"Ooh, but the Bible says..." whine the bigots everywhere. Here's what I think. I think God has better things to do than to care about whether there are men loving women or women loving men or men loving men or women loving women. I think God just wants us to love each other. And as the "We are all created equal" country that we are supposed to be, the fact that we have to VOTE on two people's RIGHT to LOVE each other and to have the RIGHTS that go along with being married is absurd.

It's embarrassing.

It's upsetting.

All I want to do is celebrate Obama's victory, because it means good things for this country. It means change.

But how can I celebrate when people in California are about to be suppressed all over again?

It makes me sick.

You can count on folks to come through and take care of whatever they said they'd do.

Sunday, November 2, 2008
1:15 am Bed

Halloween 08: A Photo Essay

Sarah Palin aka Ali

Mary from There's Something About Mary aka Dre

Dora the Explorer aka Noelle

Nikita on her way to Studio 54 aka Maria

Polish Barbie aka Jess

A Sexy Devil aka Christina

A Flapper aka ...me

Happy Halloween!

Tara