Under the Influence
Mood:  celebratory
Now Playing: pete yorn
Topic: Artistic endeavors
Go to Untouchable Films' website - www.ufilms.comand download the teaser for the film I did last summer... yeah, we look nothing like high school kids, do we? haha... oh well. There's also a clip from the oven incident... some funny shit. I can't wait until the whole thing is done... originally I was thinking that it would be finished pretty quickly after we shot it, but here we are 6+ months later. :-P~ oh well! I hope that they do something else next semester... I want to do another film... it was so much fun! I really need to get a headshot done. Of course it would help if I could decide on a haircolor for more than a month. :-P~

red just doesn't stay
Mood:  lazy
Topic: Artistic endeavors
I'm putting this under artistic endeavors, because dying your hair is just that, I think...

I'm trying Feria this time... I can't remember the name of the color......... I'll let you know how it turns out when I wash it out in 2 minutes. :-P~ hopefully it'll look okay.

can you tell that I don't want to be here?
Mood:  lazy
Now Playing: HFS -- still trying
Topic: Artistic endeavors
I forgot to mention that the "Untitled Party Film" that I was in over the summer has now been officially named... it will be called "Under the Influence." I was hoping that I'd have it by Thanksgiving at the latest, but alas, 'tis not to be. They think they will have it finished sometime shortly after Thanksgiving... they have the video edited though, now they're working on sound... some of the lines had to be rerecorded, I think. For more information on the Untouchable Films group, check out their website at ufilms.com. That's all for today, I promise.

doh, forgot the picture
Mood:  accident prone
Now Playing: Jason Mraz
Topic: Artistic endeavors
So here's the picture of me making my best sexy face, lol......

one step closer to being a junkette, but I need your help!
Mood:  celebratory
Topic: Artistic endeavors
Looks like my pictures came out halfway decently!! You can go here: Sports Junkie's website to check out all the pictures from the contest, including the other contestants. Poo-poo on them! Just kidding of course... everyone that I met seemed to be very nice. :-) I'm posting what I think is the best one up here. Now you guys can all see my hair, too. See, the purple is fading out to red like I wanted! And you thought that I was crazy. :-P~ You can also see the big hurting zit that made an unwelcome appearance on my forehead today! Been a while since I had one of those, but it just had to be this fantastic timing. Anyway... if you want to help your buddy Lauren win the gig, send an email to junksmail@aol.com and tell them you think that I'm hot and that I have a great on-air personality. ;-) Make sure you tell them the *2nd* Lauren, Lauren from Pasadena. I don't CARE if you didn't listen to the show this morning!!! Haha!! I'm telling you that I was good and you're just going to have to accept that! Since I am so wonderful, they'll probably replay the clip tomorrow morning on their `best of' reel type thing. They basically play the best segments of the week on a two hour show Saturday mornings. That's 99.1 WHFS, boys and girls. By the way, emailing the show if you have the same last name as me is probably not a great idea. Mmmkay? Alright. Thanks!

I talked to my friend Amy earlier today and she's going to be up at South River to see LC, so I guess that I'll go. Hopefully I can get Kurtis to come with me... if not, I guess I'll be flying solo. Hmm... or maybe I can get a neighbor to join me? Going by myself doesn't bother me too much since I always know somebody there. And since South River is someplace I've been before, I feel pretty comfortable going there without fear of toothless hicks. Chances are, toothless hicks aren't going to be reading this, because most toothless hicks don't own computers. But maybe that's a generalization, I don't know. If you ARE a toothless hick, I apologize for my boorish statement. (but please see a dentist)

That's it for now. Sorry. Can you tell that I'm a bit giddy today??

radio is fun!
Mood:  celebratory
Now Playing: pete yorn
Topic: Artistic endeavors
I did go up to the HFS studios this morning for the junkette contest. Got up at the awful hour of 6 a.m. Ugh. Had a bit of trouble actually getting IN to the studio, the doors were locked, but fortunately an employee going in to work took me to where I was supposed to be.

Did I mention that I stopped in Crofton to bring in donuts? :) I had to give myself that extra boost, you know. Not too long after I got there, Bret was pummeling the donuts. When I arrived, there was one other girl waiting to go on air -- this was Lauren from Bowie... I introduced myself and said my name and she said,"I'm Lauren". Weird. She was 24, too.

Of course I had to get a HUGE friggin' zit in the middle of my forehead, it literally popped up in less than a day... I noticed it last night and by this morning it was enormous. C'est la vie.

I managed to put together a sexy outfit, I guess... I wore a low-cut pink shirt that emphasized my ahem...... assets?? (THANK GOD FOR WATER BRAS!!!) and I wore a tan/khaki colored skirt. They actually asked if my boobs were real! I guess that should be a compliment, right? I was surprised by how at ease I was on air... I didn't even think too much that I was on the radio with thousands of people listening, it was pretty cool!

LC are playing at South River tonight in Edgewater and I'm thinking about going... but I'm sooooo tired. :( I'll post more later, I have to do phones and go to lunch now. Ciao!

mixed feelings
Mood:  quizzical
Now Playing: Sports Junkies
Topic: Artistic endeavors
Went to my english class last night -- I really like my teacher. She's kind of spastic and laughs a lot... she just seems very real, (not to mention approachable) if that makes sense.

So here's the thing........ if I audition for this gig and actually get it, I would have to rearrange my schedule, and like I said, I really DO like my teacher. So I'm emailing her today explaining my situation in the event that I have to drop her class... unfortunately, she isn't teaching any other night classes. :( Maybe I'll be able to take one of her classes another semester if it comes down to that.

latest email from Ufilms
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Artistic endeavors
Hey Everybody

I just wanted to give you all a little update on post-production. We're still waiting for this computer to come in. I called Apple and they said that it should ship any day now, with the very latest possible date being September 15th. This is due to both the newness of the graphics card as well as the dual processor. Once we get it though, it should only be a few days until the movie is edited. In addition to that, audio should probably be about another week or two.

**Speaking of audio, we'll probably re-record the necessary lines once the computer is in, so probably no earlier than September 15th (that's for Ken and Farhad).**

We've also been looking in to having a premiere/party type thing for when it's done. We're looking in to Regal Cinemas in Countryside among a few other places right now for renting out a theater. If anyone knows a place, definitely let us know.

That's about it. Once we know more, I'll be sure to let you know. Hope the end of everyone's summer is going well and we'll be in touch soon.

Adam

I made the front page!
Mood:  special
Now Playing: Sports Junkies
Topic: Artistic endeavors

Here is a link to the article...

Area residents take their shot at 'Idol' fame
By VANESSA FRANKO, Staff Writer

This time, Lauren Grande left the stuffed frog at home.

During her "American Idol" audition in Atlanta last year, the 24-year-old from Pasadena sang Three Dog Night's "Joy to the World" while holding a plush green amphibian - named Jeremiah, of course.

She didn't make it past the first round.

At the Washington Convention Center yesterday, she tried a different approach: "This time I'm going to be more serious - as serious as I can be with purple hair."

Ms. Grande was one of more than 9,000 hopefuls, including a gaggle of local residents, auditioning for the next season of the TV talent show.

After three years of watching naive no-talents get a verbal pummelling, many of these faithful viewers had become more savvy auditioners.

They openly admitted they had no more than a fighting chance at stardom, but they also knew the unspoken rules for not becoming the next William Hung, who mangled Ricky Martin's "She Bangs" last year.

Don't have a gimmick.

Don't confuse spandex with style.

And by all means, don't sing the overdone theme from "Aladdin."

That's what David Merrill from Annapolis did last year in New York. When he told the audition judge for the second round that he'd be singing "A Whole New World," the judge gave a bored shrug.

He later found out why: So many other wannabe superstars used the same song that the Fox network aired a snarky compilation of the various renditions.

But the 21-year-old music education major, who drove more than five hours from Methodist College in Fayetteville, N.C., stuck with a Disney song this time around: "You'll Be in My Heart," Phil Collins' theme from "Tarzan."

Mr. Merrill dismissed gimmicks, but he did have a strategy to gain "American Idol" fame. He said he shook the hands of about 300 people who set up makeshift beds out of sleeping bags and blankets on the concrete floor.

He figured that if he made it to the actual series, the people he had met might remember him and vote for him.

But he didn't make it to the second round of competition.

None of the dozen or so locals interviewed for this story did.

It's showtime

In the first round, all the contestants perform an a cappella clip of a song of their choosing in front of two or three producers of the show.

The best and worst - meaning the ones who make for the most entertaining TV viewing - are asked to sing before producers again in a second round.

Only up to 100 a day go on to sing for the mighty and powerful wizards of "Idol": judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell.

The three are expected to see contestants in Washington starting tomorrow, and from there they'll decide which ones get a trip to Hollywood.

For the honor of being insulted by the acerbic Mr. Cowell, singers started hovering - or pre-lining up - at the convention center on Saturday.

By Tuesday, many were inside with their camping chairs and radios, while others played guitar and board games.

People broke into song more often than in a Broadway musical.

Impromptu gospel choirs formed throughout the exhibit hall while other contestants tried their hand at a karaoke machine in a corner, singing everything from LaBelle's "Lady Marmalade" to Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing."

To commemorate the experience, official "American Idol" audition T-shirts and tank tops were on sale for $15 or $20 each.

For his audition costume, Steve Hill, 18, of Severna Park bought a pair of stylish tan pants but debated about what shirt to wear with them.

His mother took digital pictures of him wearing the pants with various shirts and they did their own version of soliciting America's votes, asking opinions of relatives at a family gathering.

Wearing the winner, a sky-blue polo that matched his eyes, he said he'd figured his two-day campout would force him to forsake good hygiene.

"I was just expecting my mom to bring a thermos of warm water to pour out on my head and I could do my hair," Mr. Hill said.

Luckily, relatives of friends who were also auditioning got a hotel room nearby, making a shower possible.

Cleanliness may be next to godliness, but it and a rendition of "Rockin' Robin" weren't enough to push him into the next round.

Roughing it

Neither was a place at the head of the line, "heartfelt" versions of pop classics or vocal training.

A lot of deflated, defeated students, waitresses and young parents resumed their ordinary lives today after the judges sent them packing.

Brian Cook of Dorsey was a finalist in a local takeoff, "Baltimore Idol," a few years ago and was anxious to audition with "You Are So Beautiful."

"You should pick any good song to sing with your heart and with genuine feeling without overdoing it," said Mr. Dorsey, 26.

While he auditioned in the first round, his wife LaWanda lugged their camping gear into the designated waiting area for families and friends.

"I had so many butterflies in my stomach, you'd have thought I was auditioning," she said.

Afterward, Mr. Cook was smiling despite being rejected.

Johnelka Stafford, 25, of Annapolis came out to audition for her favorite show and left with a different view of it.

"If you don't look like Britney Spears or sing like Justin Timberlake, sorry, you're not what they're looking for," she said.

She doesn't plan to watch next season.

Others who didn't make it past the first round remained faithful and just hoped to avoid an appearance on the "worst auditions" show.

"I think I'm good enough that I won't be on TV," Mr. Hill said.

I botched it!
Mood:  don't ask
Now Playing: Joss Stone
Topic: Artistic endeavors
I'm cut & pasting from an email I sent out this morning.

I just wanted you all to know the outcome and the details... I didn't make it, and I'm also very tired, sore, and cranky. Of course if I'd made it, I'd be more than happy to discuss my experience over and over again, even if I was still tired and sore. I guess that I'll start from the beginning and give a summary of everything that happened.

Over the past few months, I've made two friends on the American Idol message board; Sue (from Massachusetts) and Nicole (from New York). The three of us had planned on meeting at 4 a.m. on Tuesday (17th), which was 2 hours before the official start time of the line-up. Nicole got into town early Monday night and reported that people were already lining up for wristbands - the line had started early (your wristband was what identified you as an auditioner). So I ended up going down to DC Monday night around 9 p.m., got my wristband after only 20 or 30 minutes of waiting, and met up with Nicole. I waited for a few hours and Sue came as well... shortly thereafter (around 11:30 or 12), I left and went back home. They had a huge hall set up with barriers that were about 13 or 14 feet apart, people were supposed to camp out between them and that is their audition order. Sue and Nicole saved my spot for me, and I came back at 4:30 on Tuesday to camp out. During the day Tuesday, I was interviewed by the Capitol newspaper and also walked around Chinatown in DC, spend some time at Asylum Wake Skate Snow - WHFS (99.1) has a new studio there in the front of the store and were broadcasting live for Oscar & Duke's show. Sue sang on the radio while we were there, but I didn't feel like it. After spending an hour at Asylum, we went back to the convention center. I tried unsuccessfully to sleep Tuesday night... I tossed and turned and just couldn't get comfortable. Since I got there later than some of the other people, there wasn't much space for my sleeping bag, so the whole time I was attempting to sleep, I was getting kicked and pushed into by the people around me. This was not the only thing that disrupted my snoozing endeavor; the bright lights and people singing, laughing, clapping, yelling, and talking also made it impossible to sleep. At 3:30 a.m., I got up with my new friends and got ready for the audition. I was exhausted, but I just dealt with it. We got back to the convention center shortly after 5 a.m. In the hours following, they got a group of people to go outside and film the opening scenes that they'll use for next season of American Idol... Ryan Seacrest was even there! Auditions didn't start until nearly 10 a.m. and during the downtime I'd tried to take a nap, but didn't have any better luck then. We heard from someone behind us who had a friend in the first row of auditioners that no one in that first row had gotten through the first round. That was a bit disheartening. Anyway, the line moved quickly (maybe too quickly!) as soon as auditions started. I was having a bit of trouble with my song while I was in line; there was one line that just didn't sound right to me. Maybe I should have changed it, but I stuck with it, and maybe went over it too much quietly. We got into a large room, and it was pretty much the same set-up as last year in Atlanta, only there were 4 people in each group that would go up and sing to the judge. I'm guessing that was to audition more people at once. The judge for my group I am pretty certain was Simon Lythgoe, who is the son of executive producer Nigel Lythgoe. I originally thought that Nigel was my judge, but then I realized that the guy was way too young to be Nigel. Anyway, I stepped up and smiled, said some stupid thing and he laughed... and then I started singing. I sang "I'm the only one" by Melissa Etheridge. Or shall I say that I tried to sing? As soon as I started, I knew that I was in trouble... my voice just was not cooperating at all. My nerves became worse than my audition in 6th grade for Silent Night! At one of the first higher notes, my voice cracked, badly. It was the worst audition I've ever given in my life... as soon as it cracked, I lost my focus and felt like I just wanted to crawl under a rock and die. I tried to redeem myself on the next line, but it happened again, and I went out of tune. When my voice DIDN'T crack, I went sharp. I went sharp at the end of pretty much every line, it was horrible. I've been told that good singers go sharp when they're nervous and bad singers go flat. I'm hoping there's some truth to that. I was desperately clinging to some hope that maybe if I just sang another song I could redeem myself... so I asked if I could do another and thankfully (or maybe not), he told me that I could. SO I started into "the first time ever I saw your face"... I started out strong, but by the end of the first line it was obvious that my vocal chords had given up on me. Getting cut wouldn't have bothered me so much had I done my best. I guess that I never fully recovered from whatever funk I had in my throat for the past several weeks and then staying up for 24 hours on a cold slab of concrete made things a lot worse.

So that's my story! I'm writing another article for our company's newsletter, the Harmonizer, so I'll let you know when it's finished.


I forgot to mention that I also did a follow-up interview with the reporter from the Capitol newspaper... when it comes out, I'll put up a link. As I was talking to the reporter, there was also a Fox news person right next to her as she was interviewing me... after she was done, she asked me if she could ask me a few questions as well... so I did, and she did an on-camera interview with me. I'm not sure when it was broadcasted -- I'm guessing sometime yesterday, probably on the noon news.

I'm not upset that I didn't make it; I'm upset that I screwed up so horribly. It'd be one thing if I gave it my best shot and didn't make it through; there were plenty of fantastic singers who were passed over. Two of them of course were my friends Sue and Nicole. It seemed that they weren't letting nearly as many people through this year as they did last. It was really incredible to see how many fabulous singers were cut.

That's it for now... I have a lot of work to catch up on.