Man.
Looking back on it all, its been a long past few years.
I realized that yesterday as I practically single-handedly ran the bottom of the track at Silicon Valley's 7th Annual Soap Box Derby local. I don't think I've ever had so much control over people older than me. It was kind of awesome, considering I think of myself as a small, young, female who is often reserved in many senses of the word, but is not afraid to be loud and embarrass herself in front of people.
Now as I look back on it all and even look forward into this summer and the years to come, I've grown a lot from the quiet little tomboy with the bowl cut and Harry Potter glasses to this animated, exuberant, young leader. I've guided kids around rattlesnakes at Science Camp, taken care of kids at Soap Box, and co-lead and befriended my campers and Cabin Leaders at the 2 Summer Camps I've worked at.
As a kid, my nose was always in a book, or in a band aid. I was a klutz, quiet, didn't get along too well with people my age or gender, and if I wasn't reading, I was playing soccer or drawing. If I did hang out with people, it would be because I was trying way too hard to fit in, or I was playing soccer with the boys. I still remember being asked things like "Why do you wear dresses so much?" and "Why is your hair short?" and really, I was trying to fit in with the dresses and prove to people that I was in fact a girl, and my hair was short because I hated brushing it. I got teased so I stayed quiet.
In middle school, I broke out of my quiet shell when I was introduced to Tech Class and KDOG, the news broadcast for my school. It was a big step for me to go from the quiet behind the scenes tech operator to being an anchor as my fellow classmates see me do still to this day. From KDOG, I transitioned to Chorus parts in both Guys and Dolls and Bugsy Malone and a Duet in 8th grade. Finally, in 8th grade, I joined Leadership class and ran all the dances, lunch-time activities, planned all sorts of events, and worked in the Autism and Special Needs department some days. Joining Leadership was probably the most important decision I made all throughout Middle School; without it, I would not be the young woman I am today.
Now, in High School, I've been supporting and chorus roles in Giver, Curtains, Bullshot Crummond, The Wiz, and The Jungle Book. I'm also Secretary of the Gay Straight Alliance, and hope to be President next year.
This summer, I am applying to a Summer camp to build Go-Karts with middle schoolers. Also, I will be a Counselor in Training at Camp Wastahi this summer and I have been going there for 4 years now.
Looking back on it all, I don't regret anything I've done. Regardless of how busy my life has been, I don't think I've turned down one opportunity and I don't regret that.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Friday, April 5, 2013
Can Drawing on People be a Career?
Because how cool would it be to get payed to doodle cool things on people.
And before you say:
"Durrr veronica why dont you become a tattoo artist?"
Im afraid of needles. I cant imagine stabbing people with needles or being stabbed with needles. Also, the people who work there are COATED in tattoos. I'd look so out of place. Like Kat Von D without tattoos. Just a little weird.
WEIRD.
Although I'm not a fan of permanent ink, I have taken a kind liking to Henna or Mehndi [as Abdul likes to correct me] Henna is a natural, herb based paint that dyes the skin for up to 2-3 weeks at a time. It's pretty amazing stuff. I used it last summer before camp and Ive learned a couple tricks on how to maintain the design longer.
No matter how much I adore Henna, I rarely can get the kits and when I do they are very tiny. So I've taken a liking to these lovely Sepia Micron Pens for drawing similar reddish-brownish-orange colours on people and myself.
In fact, here is a small collection of doodles I did just in 1 class period of Photo!
And before you say:
"Durrr veronica why dont you become a tattoo artist?"
Im afraid of needles. I cant imagine stabbing people with needles or being stabbed with needles. Also, the people who work there are COATED in tattoos. I'd look so out of place. Like Kat Von D without tattoos. Just a little weird.
WEIRD.
Although I'm not a fan of permanent ink, I have taken a kind liking to Henna or Mehndi [as Abdul likes to correct me] Henna is a natural, herb based paint that dyes the skin for up to 2-3 weeks at a time. It's pretty amazing stuff. I used it last summer before camp and Ive learned a couple tricks on how to maintain the design longer.
No matter how much I adore Henna, I rarely can get the kits and when I do they are very tiny. So I've taken a liking to these lovely Sepia Micron Pens for drawing similar reddish-brownish-orange colours on people and myself.
In fact, here is a small collection of doodles I did just in 1 class period of Photo!
Thursday, February 28, 2013
College. [And How I am Tied Between Two.]
OK. Choosing needs to get real now. Between Art, a passion of mine since as long as I can remember, or "real school" as adults call it.
While I was at soap box derby a few weeks ago, every single adult I've been growing up with constantly asked me which colleges I've applied to. After explaining many times that I'm still a junior and have yet to go on college tours, I told them I was interested in either UCSF or the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, or somewhere in southern California [Whittier, UCLA, UCSB, ect. ect.]
ONE single response stood out, and that's Kim Ferguson's. She explained how when she was a junior in high school, she was an artist [and still is, once an artist, always an artist] but her father forced her to major in something "real." So she acquired a Bachelors Degree in Microbiology. And her Grandfather had told her, "If you're an artist, art will find its way into your life, regardless of profession." Later that year, she got a job at a Science Textbook company, where she drew figures of Microplankton and Other various microscopic sea life which were too small to capture with cameras.
This sparked an idea.
Due to my love of darkroom photography and chemistry, I considered becoming a photographer. They don't really pay well.
So due to my love of drawing [which has recently improved greatly recently] and matching colors, I considered Fashion Designing. Those COULD pay well if I start off somewhere good like JC Penny. Also, I'm not half bad at sewing, as 3rd period could attest with those crazy barbies I made for the Six Sigma and New Rules project.
But finally, I also would not mind being an Illustrator for kids books. I've always loved kids, and Ive never been one much for colouring things shades of grey. [50 shades of grey? no. flipping rainbows.] Jamie and I made a pact in Freshman year, that if she ever wrote a book, I got to either illustrate or do the cover page. <3 Jamie, tell me when you finish the book, I'll still willingly illustrate it.
While I was at soap box derby a few weeks ago, every single adult I've been growing up with constantly asked me which colleges I've applied to. After explaining many times that I'm still a junior and have yet to go on college tours, I told them I was interested in either UCSF or the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, or somewhere in southern California [Whittier, UCLA, UCSB, ect. ect.]
ONE single response stood out, and that's Kim Ferguson's. She explained how when she was a junior in high school, she was an artist [and still is, once an artist, always an artist] but her father forced her to major in something "real." So she acquired a Bachelors Degree in Microbiology. And her Grandfather had told her, "If you're an artist, art will find its way into your life, regardless of profession." Later that year, she got a job at a Science Textbook company, where she drew figures of Microplankton and Other various microscopic sea life which were too small to capture with cameras.
This sparked an idea.
Due to my love of darkroom photography and chemistry, I considered becoming a photographer. They don't really pay well.
So due to my love of drawing [which has recently improved greatly recently] and matching colors, I considered Fashion Designing. Those COULD pay well if I start off somewhere good like JC Penny. Also, I'm not half bad at sewing, as 3rd period could attest with those crazy barbies I made for the Six Sigma and New Rules project.
But finally, I also would not mind being an Illustrator for kids books. I've always loved kids, and Ive never been one much for colouring things shades of grey. [50 shades of grey? no. flipping rainbows.] Jamie and I made a pact in Freshman year, that if she ever wrote a book, I got to either illustrate or do the cover page. <3 Jamie, tell me when you finish the book, I'll still willingly illustrate it.
Monday, February 4, 2013
The Possibilities are Endless
Throughout my life, everyone has always called me "well-rounded." As a kid, I worried that meant they were calling me fat, which I was on the chubbier side, but it wasn't until 7th grade did I realize what I really loved. Science.
Thank you, Mr. A, my 7th grade Biology teacher. You opened my eyes to a whole new way to enjoy life, by over analyzing the little things and stopping to dissect the flowers. Now instead of simply picking away the petals of a flower, playing "he loves me, he loves me not," I can tell if it asexually or sexually reproduces by simply counting the petals on it and dividing by either 3 or 5. I also showed the other younger kids where the baby flower comes from by creating a cross-section and showing the ovaries, pistils, and stamen. I never really had the "Birds and the Bee's" talk, but I understood how bees carried the pollen to other flowers and those create seeds which then grow new flowers. I understood that far more than how humans pollinated.
Anyway, Life Science was 7th grade and that made me interested in Botany, Marine Biology, and Rainforest Protection. The year after that was 8th grade Physical Science with Ms. Brown. By far, one of my favorite classes. That class made me interested in Astronomy, Chemistry and the pH balance of things.
Before that, I knew I loved to draw and sing.
And that was all I knew. I tried an Art class in elementary school, and it was fine, but that summer, I tried one at the Community Center, and I did not enjoy myself. The teacher demaded of us what we would draw and the whole rest of the class was everybody fighting over the "How To Draw Super Heroes" books and little blondie in the corner wanting to draw real life pictures.
And thereforth a general distaste for classes that force creativity upon students.
But then there's always singing!
And there's always doubt and self-conciousness which makes my work look like a finger painting next to the Mona Lisa or a screeching cat next to Imagine Dragons.
Only recently have I found a whole new world of creativity to dip my feet into, Fashion Design.
Today, my photography class [not my favorite, but I enjoy playing in all the chemicals and helping everybody be timely.] was visited by a representitive from The Academy Of Art in San Francisco.
It rekindled my love and excitement over art and expressing emotions through creations and beautiful paintings.
And again, the cycle continues as it gets closer to applying and narrowing down what college I want to go to; the question is asked,
WHAT DO I WANT TO DO WITH MY LIFE?
Friday, December 14, 2012
"Ohana Means Family...
...and family means nobody is left behind or forgotten."
-Lilo and Stitch
This quote is among my top 3 disney quotes, along with "Fish are friends, not food" from Finding Nemo and "I do not like the cone of shame" from Up.
This quote, unlike the other two, has a little meaning to me in my heart. It explains how my family is going to be when I get big. [side note: I never say "when I grow up" or "when I'm older" because I will most likely remain this mental age and keep my childish side, I'll just hopefully grow taller and more mature.] I want my family to be close knit, but respectful of individual privacy and space. I would give my kids a curfew to be home by, but its not an exact time, because I understand being 20 minutes late is not the end of the world.
It also brings up the topic how I am almost too excited to be a mother. Or at least a motherly figure for someone. I really like taking care of people and helping them with mommy things like making food or helping them wrap their injuries in bandaids, medical tape, or magical booboo kisses. At camp, I was the cabin mommy, I supplied costumes and jackets for all my girls, I helped wash the dishes, and finally, I rescued my little camper, TBA [who is damn afraid of bees] from one of the 3 bee attacks at camp. Same with my friends. I make them food, kiss their booboos better, I helped TJ wrap his finger properly so it doesn't set crooked, I always to make sure to include everyone, settle differences, be there to help them when they need, and most importantly, I'm always here for whenever they need a hug or a magic fix everything button.
The most likely cause to all this motherly energy is the lack of it I had as a child, so this is me making it up for the world what I barely got. Similar to Karma. Except backwards... I never got, so I'm giving it. :)
This quote, unlike the other two, has a little meaning to me in my heart. It explains how my family is going to be when I get big. [side note: I never say "when I grow up" or "when I'm older" because I will most likely remain this mental age and keep my childish side, I'll just hopefully grow taller and more mature.] I want my family to be close knit, but respectful of individual privacy and space. I would give my kids a curfew to be home by, but its not an exact time, because I understand being 20 minutes late is not the end of the world.
It also brings up the topic how I am almost too excited to be a mother. Or at least a motherly figure for someone. I really like taking care of people and helping them with mommy things like making food or helping them wrap their injuries in bandaids, medical tape, or magical booboo kisses. At camp, I was the cabin mommy, I supplied costumes and jackets for all my girls, I helped wash the dishes, and finally, I rescued my little camper, TBA [who is damn afraid of bees] from one of the 3 bee attacks at camp. Same with my friends. I make them food, kiss their booboos better, I helped TJ wrap his finger properly so it doesn't set crooked, I always to make sure to include everyone, settle differences, be there to help them when they need, and most importantly, I'm always here for whenever they need a hug or a magic fix everything button.
The most likely cause to all this motherly energy is the lack of it I had as a child, so this is me making it up for the world what I barely got. Similar to Karma. Except backwards... I never got, so I'm giving it. :)
Monday, November 19, 2012
Ok, For Real Now.
So I may have been deceiving all of you all along.....
Do not worry Mr. Pinza, I will not go ruin my life of working up all this knowledge to go dress scantily and sell drinks to sad sacks and lonely women. I actually plan to do that on the side during college or something along those lines. For the rest of the time, I'd like to be either a Chemistry or English Teacher, Film Producer, Photographer, or possibly a Writer/Poet/Illustrator.
Teaching has always been a fun idea of mine, due to all the... lets say VARIOUS.... teaching styles I've had. I've had fun, good, bad, effective, terribly out of control, ect. ect. I've always had the dream of being the Mr. Haskett and Mr. Pearson all thrown together in one. Mr. Haskett [from what I hear through the walls in French class] is the loudest, most ridiculous teacher ever, with due respect to Mr. Evans who also is very silly. I adore acting and being loud and silly. I also love singing. So if there is any way that I can do that and have an audience who is semi-interested in me doing this, is a deal for me. ALSO, I chose the subjects of Chemistry or English because those are my two favorite classes ever. Although I do enjoy art and photography and creativity, I do not believe in art classes for they limit your creativity and force you to follow guidelines to please the teacher, not yourself. I had trouble agreeing with my art teachers as a chile because I didnt want to draw a darned tree, I wanted to draw a skyscraper. Along with Photography, but at least Mr. Czech lets me take pictures of whatever I want :)
Movies and Photography have always been a dream of mine ever since I got my first video camera in 6th grade. My friends and I tried making a webshow, Dreamers Illusion Pro. We felt like the coolest things ever. I mean seriously. We even had cool nicknames so we didnt use our real names. I was Dino, Shane was Kitty, and another friend who left shortly after we made it. We felt like we were super cool, but now looking back and after learning all these film techniques in my Media Production class, they look like they were done by 3 6th graders.
Poetry and writing have been a HUGE part of my life specifically in my middle-high school years. I use my poetry to express my deeper thoughts and emotions that I can't exactly explain in spoken word or images. It usually ends up on the 3rd step of my thought process of how to express emotion. It's easiest to explain in diagram.
sing it.
[too many people?]
draw it.
expressed.
Sad?
sing it.
[not sad enough of a song?]
draw it.
[ran out of lead for all the dark shading?]
write it out.
expressed.
Make sense?
I don't expect it to. I dont often make sense of things when I can't draw it out. I guess thats just my Left Brain screaming out at me.
Anyway, back to writing. I was also interested in illustrating for my friends who all wanted to write novels, and just like the students flock to the artistic kid when assigned a poster, they chose me. It was almost creepy how they ALL decided to write novels at the same time. But alas, I turned most down for being too insecure about my art skills.
They've improved, thankfully. Progress is nice. Always one unsure step pushing the next step till you're leaping and bounding into new lands and new opportunities you never would have dreamed of.
Do not worry Mr. Pinza, I will not go ruin my life of working up all this knowledge to go dress scantily and sell drinks to sad sacks and lonely women. I actually plan to do that on the side during college or something along those lines. For the rest of the time, I'd like to be either a Chemistry or English Teacher, Film Producer, Photographer, or possibly a Writer/Poet/Illustrator.
Teaching has always been a fun idea of mine, due to all the... lets say VARIOUS.... teaching styles I've had. I've had fun, good, bad, effective, terribly out of control, ect. ect. I've always had the dream of being the Mr. Haskett and Mr. Pearson all thrown together in one. Mr. Haskett [from what I hear through the walls in French class] is the loudest, most ridiculous teacher ever, with due respect to Mr. Evans who also is very silly. I adore acting and being loud and silly. I also love singing. So if there is any way that I can do that and have an audience who is semi-interested in me doing this, is a deal for me. ALSO, I chose the subjects of Chemistry or English because those are my two favorite classes ever. Although I do enjoy art and photography and creativity, I do not believe in art classes for they limit your creativity and force you to follow guidelines to please the teacher, not yourself. I had trouble agreeing with my art teachers as a chile because I didnt want to draw a darned tree, I wanted to draw a skyscraper. Along with Photography, but at least Mr. Czech lets me take pictures of whatever I want :)
Movies and Photography have always been a dream of mine ever since I got my first video camera in 6th grade. My friends and I tried making a webshow, Dreamers Illusion Pro. We felt like the coolest things ever. I mean seriously. We even had cool nicknames so we didnt use our real names. I was Dino, Shane was Kitty, and another friend who left shortly after we made it. We felt like we were super cool, but now looking back and after learning all these film techniques in my Media Production class, they look like they were done by 3 6th graders.
Poetry and writing have been a HUGE part of my life specifically in my middle-high school years. I use my poetry to express my deeper thoughts and emotions that I can't exactly explain in spoken word or images. It usually ends up on the 3rd step of my thought process of how to express emotion. It's easiest to explain in diagram.
Is it Happy or Sad?
Happy?sing it.
[too many people?]
draw it.
expressed.
Sad?
sing it.
[not sad enough of a song?]
draw it.
[ran out of lead for all the dark shading?]
write it out.
expressed.
Make sense?
I don't expect it to. I dont often make sense of things when I can't draw it out. I guess thats just my Left Brain screaming out at me.
Anyway, back to writing. I was also interested in illustrating for my friends who all wanted to write novels, and just like the students flock to the artistic kid when assigned a poster, they chose me. It was almost creepy how they ALL decided to write novels at the same time. But alas, I turned most down for being too insecure about my art skills.
They've improved, thankfully. Progress is nice. Always one unsure step pushing the next step till you're leaping and bounding into new lands and new opportunities you never would have dreamed of.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Acting AND Teching AND Bartending?!?!?!
When I first decided that I want to be a bartender when I grow up, my dad was the first one to buy me all the necessary tools to begin making things for him and my brother. My dad also showed me an interesting show that sounded kinda weird at the time, but now it's among my all time favorites. I recently learned that this television show, Drinking Made Easy, has its own website in which they post recipes [in other words various mixing recipes for various drinks mentioned in the show] other cool scientific facts about various liquors, and other tips and tricks to make your bar that much cooler. Also, in the show, there are 2 co-hosts, Zane Lamprey and Steeve McKenna, who basically get to travel the nation and try all the cool drinks [all conveniently posted recipes on the website] and generally be awesome. If I ever have anything close to their job, or even be on the camera crew for that show, [another small hobby I've been in and out of since middle school is broadcasting] my whole life would be that much better.
Another handy-dandy trick up my sleeve is my favorite iPhone app: Mixology. In the app, there is a really nice tool called the "Cabinet." Here, you can conveniently mark off which mixers or liquors you have and then it lists only the drinks you can make out of those items you have. For example, out of the contents of my cabinet, I can make hundreds of martinis, shots, punches, cocktails and more. Also in this super-cool app, there is a folder labeled "Bartending Guide" where it has a few tips and tricks and tools to help you become a bartending master. My goal for the next few weeks is to study this whole folder to understand more of the basics and terminology.
Finally, to fulfill my history buff in me, I've been watching is How Booze Built America, hosted by none other than Mike Rowe. It is a beautiful half documentary, half drinking show where he shows how many influential figures in American history were under the influence. This show also serves its purpose as a brief history on booze in general, such as moonshine and its history in the south.
I know none of this specifically has to do with bartending, but I also have an interest in Acting, Broadcasting/Videography, Photography and History. It is one of my life goals to be happy and mesh together my many interests into a fun, not dead-ended job where I can work with people, but not have to be the one to fix their computer. [reference to my father quoting how half of his job is "making sure the idiots know how to turn on the computer."]
Another handy-dandy trick up my sleeve is my favorite iPhone app: Mixology. In the app, there is a really nice tool called the "Cabinet." Here, you can conveniently mark off which mixers or liquors you have and then it lists only the drinks you can make out of those items you have. For example, out of the contents of my cabinet, I can make hundreds of martinis, shots, punches, cocktails and more. Also in this super-cool app, there is a folder labeled "Bartending Guide" where it has a few tips and tricks and tools to help you become a bartending master. My goal for the next few weeks is to study this whole folder to understand more of the basics and terminology.
Finally, to fulfill my history buff in me, I've been watching is How Booze Built America, hosted by none other than Mike Rowe. It is a beautiful half documentary, half drinking show where he shows how many influential figures in American history were under the influence. This show also serves its purpose as a brief history on booze in general, such as moonshine and its history in the south.
I know none of this specifically has to do with bartending, but I also have an interest in Acting, Broadcasting/Videography, Photography and History. It is one of my life goals to be happy and mesh together my many interests into a fun, not dead-ended job where I can work with people, but not have to be the one to fix their computer. [reference to my father quoting how half of his job is "making sure the idiots know how to turn on the computer."]
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