Comparing Music Choices

What music or songs remind you of your childhood?

For me, when I think of my childhood I think of Hannah Montana and High School Musical. Dancing around the house with my sister who was my best friend, belting out lyrics that THE Hannah Montana “wrote and performed”. Life was so much easier when our biggest worry was if Gabrielle and Troy were going to stay together or if the world would ever find out Miley was Hannah. Mrs. Stephens said that Rick Astly’s “Never Gunna Give Up” and Sinead O’ Connor reminds her of her childhood, while Kim from the attendance office said Pink Floyd, John Denver, Forner, and ELO brought back memories for her.

Who is your favorite singer or group or song and why?

Mrs. Stephens claims that she is obsessed with Maroon 5, which doesn’t surprise me as much as it should probably. I feel like that matches her personality perfectly. Kim had a very wide variety; her top three were Pink Floyd, Luke Bryant, and Iggy. When she said Iggy I couldn’t help to laugh a little bit, just because it’s not something that I would expect at all. For me, my top three are probably 5 Seconds of Summer, All Time Low, and State Champs. All three of them are more rock oriented, and amazing performers live. State Champs are more of a new obsession, while the other two have been someone I’ve listened to for a while, they just don’t get old.

What music reminds you of someone you love? Your child? Spouse? Parents?

Mrs. Stephens stated that “Thank You” by Dido was her and her husband’s song when they were dating, so that will always be special to her. Kim said that “children” by Allen Jackson was one of her personal favorites. For me, just 5sos in general reminds me of people I love. About 90% of my good friends live in different states from all over, but I’m still just as close to them as anyone else. I’ve met them all at concerts for the band, and they quickly became my best friends. It’s been about a year and a half since I met most of them, but there still hasn’t been a day where we don’t talk, even though there’s a nine+ hour distance between us. Every chance we get to go back to Chicago and all meet up again to see our favorite band, we take it.

Do you go to concerts? Which concerts are memorable to you? Why?

Mrs. Stephens said that Chicago was the best concert shes ever been to, just because they “had everything”. Not completely sure what “everything” consists of, but apparently they had it. Kim named a bunch of country artists, but for the most part she doesn’t get too excited over concerts. Me on the other hand, I go to concerts every opportunity I can. I honestly can’t even count how many I’ve been to just this year. The best ones are when they’re general admission. I don’t usually like being that close to people, but for whatever reason I love everyone being so smashed together, screaming out lyrics that we all love. I love the way music can bring total strangers together, and build relationships and friendships that last a lifetime.

What radio stations do you normally listen to in your car? DO you sing along?

Both Mrs. Stephens and Kim’s answers consisted of stations that resembled 96.5. They both shamelessly admitted that they love to sing along, everyone does. I was surprised by Kim, because she said she usually listens to 96.5 when I was expecting it to be a country station.

Which music or artist was “controversial” or “offensive” to some when you were growing up? Is any music offensive to you now?

Mrs. Stephens very quickly shouted out Ozzy Osburn, and that doesn’t surprise me at all. She mentioned the fact that she was terrified of him because of the rumor that he killed puppies at his concerts. Kim said Marilyn Manson and Twisted Sister.

Which music or artist do you really dislike or refuse to listen to?

Mrs. Stephens hates the 70’s because she finds them very annoying. Kim didn’t have an answer because she said she just doesn’t pay attention to names or anything if she doesn’t like them.

Music Questions

3. My music choice has changed drastically throughout the years. When I was little, the only music I would really listen to was Hannah Montana or High School Musical. As I got older, my music taste was still based around the artist more rather than the music. I went through a Bieber stage in middle school. I somehow transitioned to only listening to British artists, people like Ed Sheeran, Passenger, Lewis Watson, Olly Murs, The Wanted, Little Mix, etc. Basically if an artist or group wasn’t from the UK I would cross them off the list. Somewhere in early 2013 I found a song by All Time Low. That is what started my most recent phase. I’m now really into bands where they play their own music and their live show is amazing. I have so much more respect for people that can get on a stage and play their own music, rather than have other people do it for them, or have a bunch of production and background dancers and stuff. It makes it seem a lot more real to me.

5. My friends at school for the most part don’t listen to the same kind of music as me. They usually stick to whatever plays on the radio, and not that I have anything against those songs, but I just prefer to listen to my own music when in the car rather than have other people pick the same three songs and play them over and over. However, I have friends from all over the place that I meet at concerts. Those are the people that I talk to daily and feel like I completely relate to when it comes to music choice.

7. Without music my life would be crazy. Music is like my escape, whenever I get overwhelmed or upset I can just plug in my headphones and then it’ll distract me from whatever is going on. It truly has helped me through a lot.

8. I admire the music of Front Porch Step. There are tons of artists that I love, and admire the lyrics they put together, but lately Front Porch Step is who has impressed me the most. His lyrics are so raw and honest that you can feel everything he felt while writing the songs. He doesn’t have the filter that most people would have, he writes what he feels and doesn’t have any apologies.

9. One event that I connect to music was in Chicago of July 2013. I traveled there to see 5 Seconds of Summer do an acoustic show, but while I was there I met my best friends. They are from Tennessee, but they have become my best friends since that day. We talked every day and have traveled to see each other. They are what started all my friendships of people that live far away from me, and they mean the world to me. Without music, we wouldn’t even know each other, much less be able to bond considered that’s what we are talking about ninety percent of the time.

Keepin' it real cont.

27. It depends on the teenager, but for the most part teenagers are very hard on their parents. They will argue just about everything they say, they’ll do the exact opposite. They try to branch out on their own, when parents still try to control them.

29. My dad owns cabins in Arkansas, so we used to always go down there as a family. We would stay there and go on hikes, or go to the river, or find waterfalls, and do a bunch of outdoors stuff since we are all really interested in nature. We haven’t done it in a while and I kind of miss it.

Courtland Gas Station

            Everything changes. The town of Courtland had once been a destination stop along the one highway that ran through it. Small gift shops, grocery stores, and other small businesses stretched across both side of the road. If you took a back way, it led to a small neighborhood where everyone knew everything about each other. The little town was once filled with happiness and visitors loved to stop by. Courtland was known for having the small town, at home feeling. However, all good things have to come to an end. As the world started to modernize, and people’s interests shifted, the small town became less and less known as a place to stop and visit. Eventually all the small shops started closing their doors, and the residents of the town packed their bags. Before long, the town looked as if it was just a ghost town. Bigger and better highways were built, so even the highway became less traveled upon. The only thing left in the now abandoned town was the small, outdated gas station. Greg, the old, kindhearted man refused to give up. Courtland is where all his fond memories are, he was not going to leave. Since his wife passed away, he didn’t have to worry as much about money, so the fact that he brought in little to no income didn’t matter. Now whenever travelers came through, most just drive past an empty, sad looking town. However, the few that do stop for gas get a little look at what Courtland used to be like. Filled with good people and good memories. Greg knew that only he could keep at least the memory of Courtland alive, so he was going to do just that.

Window Poem (House)

I look out and see open fields with knee high grass

To the left is more emptiness, lots of room for freedom

Today I look out an there’s people; my cousins out enjoying the sunshine

I always wonder what it would be like to join them, but never do

Dinner will be ready in about an hour so there’s no point in getting dirty

The tall grass stretches for as far as I can see, there’s no escaping it

My cousins look extremely joyful, while I sit in my room alone

Gunther Gerzso - The self taught painter

 Gunther Gerzso (June 17, 1915-April 21, 2000) was the son of Oscar Gerzso, who was a watchmaker, and Dore Wendland. His father died at an early age so Gunther had to go live with his uncle, who's profession was owning a art gallery where lots of talented artist showcased their work. Through the art gallery, Gunther met Nando Tamberlani, a stage and costume designer for plays. They quickly became friends, and Nando gave Gunther inspiration to go into the same form of art. Sadly, his uncles gallery got shut down so Gunther lost a lot of his friendships that he had with artists of all sorts of varieties. He was forced to go live with his mom, but decided to attend school at the Cleveland Play House, where he expanded upon his stage and costume designing talents. Gunther quickly became known for his abilities when it came to designing, and was very successful in that area. Throughout the course of a few years, Gunther adopted the hobby of painting. With the encouragement of his wife (who was never named) and friend Wendland, he entered a few of his paintings into an art show, where two of his paintings were chosen. It was at that moment when Gunther realized that his true passion was with painting, and no longer considered himself a stage and costume designer, but a painter. Others still considered him as a designer, but after he kept painting more and more pieces, his role in the art community began to change. Most of his painting consisted of either anti-war pieces, or abstract pieces. His most famous artworks include the "Paisje Espejismo", "Figure in red and blue", and the "Paisaje aracaico". All his works just used standard paint as a medium. The thing that is most special about Gunther, is that he went to school for one form of art, but the one he is remembered for he was completely self-taught in and was mainly just a hobby.     

                                                

Thank you, Harris Burdick

A Strange Day In July

            Julie smiled as she felt the warmth from the sunlight against her fare skin. For the past week, anytime she would go outside she would only be greeted with the gloominess of the grey rain clouds above. She missed playing outside, she missed the smell of fresh air, and most importantly she missed her best friend. As soon as she got the okay from her mother, the six year old darted two doors down as fast as her little legs in her pretty pink dress could take her, to her best friend Josh’s house. Josh was just as eager to go back outside since he had been trapped for way too long inside his boring house. The two six year olds joined hands and made their way to their favorite place to play. The small creek that just took about five minutes to walk to, and held so many of their precious memories of growing up together. When they approached the creek, Julie grew tense and held tightly to Josh’s arm for protection. The once tiny creek that was peaceful and still, was now a running river from all the rain that had been fed into it the past week. Josh was too excited to be back to stop for anything, so he just dragged his smaller, slightly scared friend along with him. Since he knew that she was nervous to be around that high of water, he decided to teach her a game his father had once taught him. Together, the friends collected flat stones with a smooth surface. Josh taught Julie how to skip the rocks across the water. It took Julie a few tries, but she very quickly caught on. She let out a few chuckles whenever she noticed that Josh’s stones started coming back, causing hers to go farther than his. Josh soon grew frustrated, and his competitive nature kicked in. Julie suggested that they try and see whose can go the farthest since she realized that she was starting to have a slight advantage.  Josh quickly became determined to beat his friend he had just been trying to cheer up minutes ago. Julie went first, a tossed the stone across the water as they both watched in awe at how well the little six year old could through the rock. Her best friend went next. He threw with all his might, but the third stone came skipping back.