Mixed CD Story

As I lay covered in my warm quilt, Van Morrison and my father’s voice meld together and vibrate off the walls. I hear my brother’s voices yelling, “STOP” as I pull my pillow over my face. The early morning sun seeps into my room and brightens the walls. Luckily, these are not my only memories of Van Morrison’s music. Many warm summer nights brought my family together at my old house for barbeques. We would eat, drink and talk while I snuck scraps to my dogs under the table, my neighbor would walk over and we would all play cards. When I was younger, I never spent time on the computer or electronics. Growing up with two brothers, I was always active. We would ride bikes, build forts, paint and hurl rocks out of slingshots at the neighbor’s rose bushes. Being the youngest allowed me to never worry. I always had someone there for me. Now that I am older, and have more responsibility, I miss the carefree times of being a child. Everyone must grow up at some point, but Van Morrison reminds me of the “good old days” of togetherness. My brothers were always skateboarding. When they had to babysit me, I tagged along with them to the many schools they snuck into to skate. One of the earliest songs I liked was “Jack and Diane” because it was the theme songs in one of their skate videos. My brothers are pro skaters now and we all think of the same memories when we hear that song. As I grew older, my brothers moved out and I turned to music for something to do. I watched festivals that would play in the summer and it made me happy. I started learning instruments and fell in love with playing.

Mixed CD Poem

Happiness is what we, as humans, all try to attain
By looking on the bright side of the road, positivity is what you will gain
We must embrace life’s sweet simplicity
To stop from becoming overwhelmed with all its distracting complexities
Promises to fulfill wide-eyed goals and dreams
Transform and die out as the baby girl realizes realities cruel means.
When all the wannabes abandon the cage and face the world alone
They become something to talk about, ending all grown
When she reaches the point of old age, not wanting to face the inevitable end
Reminiscing on that boy and how they were just friends
Now she is saying, “I m all by myself”
But “If all else fails at least I’ve still got my health”
That clenched longing to regress resides within
So much for what Jackie Wilson said
Her love still remains ever so true
She speaks the words for the first time, “I love you I do”
In my place I sit, watching the story of Jack and Diane
Wondering why she would abandon loves plan.
Now she is stuck in the past, waiting, wanting one last chance
To be young again, live in innocent romance.

I am From Poem

I am from home made quilts, hand stitched with love.
I am from freedom on the soccer field, as the wind blew through my hair
I am from bike rides on the beach, just because
I am from skateboarding with the boys without a care
I am from swinging on swings in the park
I am from painting and exploring colors with a brush
I am from roller coasters in the dark
I am from getting to school in a rush
I am from concerts in the summer time
I am from traveling across the nation
I am from wanting my life to rewind
I am from designing and inspiration
I am from singers and dancers
I am from joy, respect and appreciation
I am from questions and answers
I am from loving life and my family
I am from anticipating what the future holds
I am from wanting a career with promise and longevity
I am from warm California winters and still catching a cold
I am from waves on the beach and sand castles
I am from night drives around the neighborhood
I am from no drama and unnecessary hassles
I am from “I will” not “I could”

"Figher or Lover?" - My Story

There are many things that “fire” up our lives, positive and negative. I am a very strong person when it comes to what I believe and stand for. I am not one to be swayed by other people. I have always had strong opinions on social, political and moral issues. Starting in high school, kids stereotype and place one another in categories, disregarding their individuality. This careless act continues into adulthood and can instinctively stay with us. People categorize others as either a fighter or a lover. My personality has pieces of both. I am very shy and reserved, I would much rather listen than talk. I am passive when it comes to arguing for the sake of arguing, but when there is an issue to fight for, I argue my point of view so people don’t take advantage of my personality. Being the youngest girl in my family, I have gained a toughness that we all need to survive in a competitive world. Luckily, music and creativity have influenced my life in a big way. This helps me express myself in other ways than talking. For me, guitar and music give me an ability to show my opinions and thoughts in other means, which can evoke emotion, and a higher inexpressible feeling. In todays world I think that opinion, creativity and point of view are crucial for success, happiness and sanity. I hate that everyone listens to what is “cool” and popular. IPODS are distractions; no one listens to lyrics, people just listen to beats and don’t think any deeper than the surface. I prefer creating music and listening to artists that don’t crave attention and make music because they love it, not money and notoriety.

My L.A.

Once in a while I love to drive into the city on a nice warm sunny weekend and hike up to the Griffith Observatory. The hike is a great refreshing trail up to the observatory, beginning with a walk through a lush cove of cool greenery. As I hike up the hill, I pass all kinds of Californians. There are those hard core runners and athletes getting their work out in. They have the fanny packs and supplies to keep them hydrated and fit. Then there are those who are enjoying their weekend, this is where I fit in. I love to people watch and appreciate my surroundings. I always feel great after a long hike and I get to see and overlook the valley. I see the valley as a whole, all the buildings, homes and shopping centers enveloped in greenery. The best part of walking to the observatory is that you can go inside and learn about all the things there. As you are descending down I notice all the little things like flowers and plants that I overlooked on the way up. The best part of LA is that everyone is so different and comes from a different place. When I hike I get to see and be around people from my city. We all exist together but have different stories

my impression now Summary

A man driven by music to "shoplift, stage-dive and cry," explains his love and facination for the technological advancements of playing musi. He says that any "self-respecting music fan in 2007 should own an ipod, or portible music player. This is the result of a cultural shift in our world today. Music has become even more influential due to the easy access and convienience. His favorite type of music is indie rock, and he explains what and how the term "indie" has come about and changed. His interest in playcounts is discussed and he shows how we can monitor so much of what we never thought was possible.

My Album Playlist

My Album Cover

"play" RED-next generation of American writers Summary

The female narrator reminises on her favorite songs in the 80's and how they influenced her. She writes that there are two types of people when it comes to music; thoses who share the songs they hear and those who keep it away from everyone else. This shows that people can hide within music and socialize through it. Coming from a creative family, she was inspired to learn instruments and form a band so she could share her talents. Her love of music is evident and she emphasizes the different ways people can use it.

"My Ride My Revolution" Summary

The narrator reminises about where he comes from. His background and surroundings make up his character. The details of culture add to who he is and why he appreciates minorities. The descriptive language of graffitti and gramatical spelling errors capture the essence of where he is from. What he emulates from his neighbors is depicted through the use of imagery.

Roller Boogie Summary

Music is a universal language that all humans connect to. Differentiating only in style, music shapes who we are, how we cope with certain stiuations and how we act. The narrator in Roller Boogie reminises on how certain songs bring back a feeling long ago. In life, time passes by but a song hold memories and emotion. The narrator explains how if it were not for music, his social life would suffer. Music connected him to people in a way he would never have without it.

we stood in line at ellis island for this?

As we look back at our youth, we recall details that shape our character. The simplest events, objects and people stand out in memory for reasons sometimes unexplainable. To narrator Paul Feig's stroke god fortune, a popular, innocent commercial saved him the humiliation of a crude nickname. He remembers the commercial vividly and humbly. It is events such as these which can effect the way we react to certain situations.

Life, Myth and Stories

All humans are storytellers. Through the stories of our lives, we find identity and truth. There are many types of stories such as fiction, non fiction, biography, myths, ect. Myths are part imaginatory but reflect on remembered past, percieved present and anticipated future. Myths represent the conscious and unconsciousness of our minds. All stories have a beginning, middle and end, where a structure of character, setting, initiating event, attemt, consequence and reaction occur in between. Stories are how we as human relate, differ, and intersect.

A Quote that sparked my MEMORY

"Question Authority"
Response: Question authority for the details remembered become reality. The recollections of flawed human memory are engraved in textbooks as "facts."

Memory and Imagination Summary

When stories are retold, events, subjects and objects change as we recall them differently each time. As writers and dramatists, we exaggerate to spark interest or create a deeper effect on the reader or audience. Writing is the art of simplifying complexity. The job of the writer is to make a story flow with ease and movement for the reader to stay connected and interested. The first draft of a work is similar to a first encounter among humans. As a draft is rewritten, details emerge and the memory revives. The truth is found in details. The meaning to the story is not "attatched" but revealed as the pieces to the puzzle find their way back.

Artist Statement

As an avid reader of the Harry Potter series, Hayley was thrilled to be apart of the 2009 remake of the Feature Film. The cast brought a new outlook with a quirky edge to each scene. The group encorporated the memorable scenes that make Harry Potter films so distinct. With the young casts take on Quidditch, muggles, magic and wisardry, this film will leave you on the edge of your seat wanting more.

Feature Film Remake of Harry Potter

Behind the Scenes with the Cast, plus Bloopers!

Feature Film Sequence

Behind the Scenes Sequence