Why?

No, no, no, no, no...say it isn't so. Please, tell me it's not true: http://www.backstreetboys.com. I didn't believe the radio DJ when they said they were coming out with a new album, so I did a search for myself. Why? Why would they do that?

What kind of audience are they going for anyway? All of the kids that liked them when they were nine (me, I'm embarrassed to say - hey, I was nine), are now, well, I'm almost 18 (a month and a half 'til my birthday), and I listen to, well, K-Rock. Most of the ex-fans are into alternative rock now, for the most part. Are they going for the younger generation? Because they're like 40: that's just kind of sketchy.

You know, they should've all gone to college and gotten real jobs. I really don't want to see them all over the place. No offense to them, but...come on. Why?

You know, I still have Tommy songs stuck in my head. How did that happen? It's been weeks since it was over.

So, it's now time to play that game, "Give Rachel a new description for her blog." I know, I'm a compulsive profile changer.

Wow, that was a fair bit of a waste of an entry.

Coffee is a very good thing. Completely forgot to have it this morning, though. I'm actually on the computer to do some Art History studying, so I'll keep this short (don't laugh at me, I can keep things short if I want to).

And Danny's a nice kid, Carley. Actually...he'd be a good match for you if you'd let me set you up. But if not, I totally understand.

It seems they're trying to keep the Mike/Darren thing quiet. I can see why: if one's going to Princeton, the other got into a prestigious acting school - I don't remember whether he decided to go to Tisch or St. Something-or-Other...both great programs.

Last concentration piece...

It actually isn't too bad. Maybe I'll take a picture and put it up here. Although, then again, I did say I'd put up a picture of my class ring and of my Spring Break vacation photos. So I'm just a big liar without meaning to be. Oh well. I'll maybe take some pictures of my works and put them up if I have time at any point in my life.

Last night was Laura's senior project: we put on The Complete Works of Shakespeare Abridged by the Reduced Shakespeare Company (http://www.reducedshakespeare.com/shakespeare.html). I recommend you all read it or see it. Oh, and even if you do see it, buy the script anyway, it's worth it for the footnotes. It's a comedy, and I was actually dying backstage, even though I've seen it so many times. Laura, Moira, Erin, Alyssa, and Sarah J. were the five main characters. Sarah Z., HUNGER, Alexander, and I made official cameos and Jen and Evan (Alyssa's little brother) also had parts...as did Gareth.

And why am I telling you this, Carley? You know already. And none of you all out there know who any of these people are.

Oh, and I'm going to prom with Danny M., Carley. He doesn't go to our school anymore - was just with us for 9th grade, then had to leave. But I went with him last year, and he comes to most of the school functions. He's a cool guy: you probably met him. Although, did you go to the Tommy cast party? I completely forget - I don't think you did, though. I don't remember you there. I was hanging out with Elizabeth K., Laura W. and some of those other sophomores most of the time. I would have been with you if you were there. Yeah, but you'll probably meet him, and if you saw him, you'd know him - he's about my height, dark hair, wears a lot of black or dark clothing...he was there last night for Shakespeare.

Now here's a question for you: what's the deal with the supposed random drug testing of sophomores? What was the real story behind that? Because I heard a story about some girls flipping out on a field trip, and I heard another story about a boy being found with stuff on him, then naming names when they told him to. And when are Mike and Darren coming back? I didn't really think they'd screw up before the end of the year.

Well, I guess that's all for now.

College

So, I'm going to Wellesley! Yay! Gee, when did it become a chore to type on this thing? I'm typing from school, as you can guess.

Well, I don't really have anything to say. Tonight is The Complete Works of Shakespeare Abridged. I'm Julius Caesar in it and I know all my lines:
ALL: Hail Caesar!
ME: Hail, citizens.
...
ERIN: Beware the Ides of March!
NARRATOR: But Caesar chose to ignore this warning.
ME: What the hell are the Ides of March?
ERIN: *sigh* The fifteenth of March!
ME: Why, that's today!
ALL: Gar! *stab, stab, stab*
ME: Aiiiiiiiieeee! Et tu Brute? *dies*

And I lay there until Sarah kicks me. Then I get to crawl off. You know, I much prefer making cameos than having any pressure on me to do...anything, really.

Well, I'm a-gonna go. Support The One Campaign! Not that I have, yet, but I plan on buying bracelets...

You talk about your woman...

...I wish you could see mine.

God damn it. I still have that song stuck in my head. It's never coming out, I swear. It's a good song though. I actually put the Tommy Soundtrack in my dad's CD changer for my college trips.

Yeah, I head out tomorrow about fifth period for Massachusetts. I'm going by myself, but I'm checking in with my dad when I get to Wellesley and then when I get to Mount Holyoke. It'll be awesome: I'm excited. Yes, because a simple period rather than an exclamation point makes me sound thrilled. I'm serious: I'm excited! That better? I giggle in real life, not online. Hard to giggle online anyway, unless you go for a *giggle* or something...but that's just stupid.

And this is me not having caffeine. I'm tired, actually. I'm only going in for second and fourth period (I have first, third and fifth free). I'll probably eat at school, then leave.

I'm taking my dad's car because it has a GPS system. Word to the wize - Rachel + directions = trouble. Actually, I'm pretty good at getting myself out of said trouble, I just have no sense of direction. I'm good at packing though. That's one thing I do well. Actually, I asked my dad tonight, "When did I become that girl that packs almost more makeup and earrings than clothing?" He said, "I don't know." I replied, "And, it's not even like I wear all that much" (though I've started wearing a little more recently). Then he said, "Well, you never know who you're going to bump into!" I said, "Dad! I'm visiting women's colleges!" He said, "Good point." Yeah...I have two cases of makeup and my whole earring box going with me...not to mention hair stuff and all that. And I even packed a robe...not my leopard print one.

At least my illness (whatever it is...I call it Mike Disease because Mike was the first of the castmembers to get it and pass it on) took a vacation during Friday-Sunday. It's back, though. I keep losing my voice and coughing. And I feel like my lungs are about to implode or something equally as unpleasant. I hope I don't get all the students at the colleges sick. Oh, that's something I should pack - tissues and cough drops.

Hmm...how do I get Tommy out of my head? I've even tried listening to songs I can't stand but that usually get fixed tightly in my head in order to get them out. Nothing, though: it keeps coming back, and I find myself humming, "Go to the Mirror, Boy" or something. I'm actually curious to see how we look on the DVD - whether we just look ridiculous dancing on that tiny stage or what.

I don't know what else to write.

Do you hear the people sing...

...Lost in the valley of the night?
It is the music of a people
Who are climbing to the light.

For the wretched of the earth
There is a flame that never dies
Even the darkest night will end
And the sun will rise.

They will live again in freedom
In the garden of the Lord
They will walk behind the plowshare
They will put away the sword
The chain will be broken and all men will have their reward.

Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade
Is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing?
Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring
When tomorrow comes...
- Finale from Les Miserables

Yeah, get a bunch of knee-jerk liberal prep kids riled up over something like their favorite teacher possibly being asked to resign and we get all revolutionary on you. This just in, though: the headmaster did have the meeting, and he will be forced to resign. I don't know if it will be at the end of the year or what. However, there will be no senior gift to the school this year. We're going to donate to a charity or some such thing - none of it will go to the school. And a lot of the young alumni are going to stop paying any sort of donations or anything. And we're wearing our t-shirts every day and having silent marches around the QUAD during 15-minute break every day. The "no more money for you" thing is what we're hoping will get them, though. I mean they don't care about a bunch of t-shirt and armband wearing teenagers. But alumni do pay a lot of money. And we're not going to give them a cent - neither will about 5 years ahead of us or the 3 grades below us.

Well, that's all that's going on right now.

Deaf, dumb and blind boy...

He's in a quiet vibration land.
Strange as it seems, his musical dreams
Ain't quite so bad.

Sickness will surely take the mind
Where minds can't usually go
Come on the amazing journey
And learn all you should know...

Who's dancing around in their underwear belting that without even listening to the sountrack? Certainly not me. Yeah, last performance was today. I have a semblance of a life now, maybe. Except that I have to go visit colleges these next two weeks. Forgot about that. Damn.

You talk about your woman
I wish you could see mine
Yeah you talk about your woman
I wish you could see mine.
Every time she starts to lovin'
She brings eyesight to the blind.
You know her daddy gave her magic you can tell by the way she walks...

You know, I was wondering today: isn't it sketchy that her daddy gave her the magic? Doesn't stuff like that usually come from mothers? Or by her "daddy gave her magic," does that mean her pimp gave her acid? Or am I just reading into the lyrics way too much? Probably that. But then how can you tell by the way she walks? Is she almost floating? But if I were high on acid, I don't think I'd be floating...I'd probably be having some paranoid episode in a corner. Kind of like how my reaction to being drunk is sitting very still contemplating how long it will take to make the dizzy feeling go away. Hence why I don't get drunk.

Ihdmsmrn.itw? - and if you want to know what that means, e-mail me. Or, in Isabel's case, you can perhaps come online when I'm on once in my life. ;-) I think Carley will agree with me on this one, though. *Sigh* The play's over. I'm not that sad, though. I'm more sad that all the awesome people in the school aren't in my grade, but rather, ironically, younger. Usually you love the older kids, but yeah...wasn't all that enamored of most of them. Except for Ben Miller. But that's a story we'll save for a different day.

Ah, well, that's about it.
Whoah, her daddy gave her magic you can tell by the way she walks...

Oh. I forgot to say something. Hey, Isabel, how 'bout those Yankees? What was that score that the BoSox lost to them by again? Hehe...I take back all of my, "But he's old" comments about the Big Unit. He'll get along fine. My dad was joking that maybe Boomer is still on the Yankee payroll, and that's why he pitched like he did. Either that or he is getting too old.

Okay, well, I'm pretty sure that's it. If not, you'll another post in like five minutes.

I have some new pictures on my camera at home, so when I get a chance one weekend, I'll update my profile picture. Obviously, I'm typing this from school at the moment - in the computer lab.

I got wait-listed from Amherst, but because of the scholarship Mt. Holyoke is offering me, if I end up wanting to be in that area, it would make more sense to just go to Mt. Holyoke. MHC is stronger in the pol. sci. and IR areas that I'm interested in anyway, and they have their own barn and riding. And I like the women's colleges to begin with.

Tommy rehearsal's every night this week 6:30-9. I don't know what times the Saturday rehearsals are, and Sunday is 1-5. Then next week we have 6-9:30 Monday through Thursday, then the performances Friday and Saturday at 8 and Sunday at 3 (matinee). I have no clue what we're doing for cast party and the like. Don't even know if we'll have one - although I hope so.

Well, that's really all that's up0 with me. I don't have comp period today, so I'm done with class at 2. Maybe I'll go get coffee or something. I don't know. I still have homework, but I can do that elsewhere, then come back at like 5:45 for dinner.

Your dating personality profile: Big-Hearted - You are a kind and caring person. Your warmth is inviting, and your heart is a wellspring of love. Liberal - Politics matters to you, and you aren't afraid to share your left-leaning views. You would never be caught voting for a conservative candidate. Sensual - You are not particularly shy when it comes to your sexuality. You know what you like and do not feel inhibited.

Your date match profile: Practical - You are drawn to people who are sensible and smart. Flashy, materialistic people turn you off. You appreciate the simpler side of living. Athletic - You aren't looking for a couch potato. You seek someone who is active and who keeps his body in top shape. Conservative - Forget liberals, you need a conservative match. Political discussions interest you, and a conservative will offer the viewpoint you need.

Your Top Ten Traits 1. Big-Hearted 2. Liberal 3. Sensual 4. Athletic 5. Stylish 6. Intellectual 7. Adventurous 8. Wealthy/Ambitious 9. Romantic 10. Traditional

Your Top Ten Match Traits 1. Practical 2. Athletic 3. Conservative 4. Big-Hearted 5. Adventurous 6. Shy 7. Stylish 8. Sensual 9. Intellectual 10. Romantic

Take the Online Dating Personality Quiz - Dating Advice - Dating Stories
^^^ Quiz I just got from Bule on the Downs. That's hilarious...

Some others:

Disorder	Rating
Paranoid Disorder:	Low
Schizoid Disorder:	Low
Schizotypal Disorder:	Low
Antisocial Disorder:	Low
Borderline Disorder:	Low
Histrionic Disorder:	Low
Narcissistic Disorder:	Low
Avoidant Disorder:	Low
Dependent Disorder:	Low
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder:	Moderate
-- Personality Disorder Test - Take It! -- -- Personality Disorders --

Oh, Dante's Inferno Quiz:

The Dante's Inferno Test has sent you to the First Level of Hell - Limbo!
Here is how you matched up against all the levels:

Level	Score
Purgatory (Repenting Believers)	High
Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers)	Very High
Level 2 (Lustful)	Low
Level 3 (Gluttonous)	Low
Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious)	Very Low
Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy)	Very Low
Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics)	Very Low
Level 7 (Violent)	Low
Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers)	Moderate
Level 9 - Cocytus (Treacherous)	Very Low

Take the Dante's Inferno Hell Test

Hmm...I'm a Virtuous non-believer. Thank you. So, is there less fire in Level One or what? I don't really know about the levels. Maybe I'll look it up.

Pope John Paul II

R.I.P. Karol Josef Wojtyla

May 18, 1920-April 2, 2005

Pope October 16, 1978-April 2, 2005

I'm not really a Christian, but I think that, whatever exists after life, I think this Pope certainly deserves something good. They said that he was a highly "conservative" Catholic in his views, but he seemed to be respectful of those that did not share his beliefs. I mean, if you just look at the coverage they showed: he meant so much to so many - they showed Jews praying for him in Israel, the Jews, with whom the Catholics always had strife. There was such headway made between the religions because this Pope took the time to visit people. He loved people, no matter their religion or beliefs. As I said, I don't know if there is a Heaven - I don't even pretend to know - but, regardless of what religion is "right," Pope John Paul II certainly deserves Heaven.

He also had some great quotes (I was looking them up):

Stupidity is a gift of God, but one mustn't misuse it.

I have a sweet tooth for song and music. This is my Polish sin.

Science can purify religion from error and superstition. Religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes.

The worst prison would be a closed heart.

College

Okay, so as of now it stands thus:
Wellesley: accepted
Bryn Mawr: accepted
Mount Holyoke: accepted, $10,000/year offered scholarship
Yale: rejected
Connecicut College: accepted
Amherst: pending

Why a women's college? Well, statistically, women do better professionally who went to the women's colleges. You know you won't deal with professors that make it impossible to learn, and they are created to help women deal with a sexist world. I also feel really comfortable at all the women's colleges. And they are among the best colleges in the country (the three I was accepted to). According to the US News ranking, Wellesley is - out of every liberal arts college in the country - #4, Bryn Mawr #25 and Mt. Holyoke #27. They're great schools, strongest in Pol. Sci., and all those fields I'm interested in. And I went to a Bryn Mawr online chat Wednesday night and loved it. The girls were awesome: I exchanged e-mails with a bunch of them.

I'm probably going to do overnights the last two weeks of April before I decide. Well, that's about it...

Yale

Hmm...got rejected from Yale last night. Didn't care at all. My exact words were "Yes!" Hehe...

And why women's college? Don't really know. I get along really well with girls - I feel comfortable there. Even more comfortable than I felt at a lot of the co-ed schools. Statistically, women who go to women's colleges are also economically and professionally more successful than those that go to co-ed. Something like 80% of the women that go to women's school get to the very top of their company, and they represent only 5% of women as a whole.

And isn't is sacreligious to have cameras in Catholic cathedrals? Because CNN is definitely having "Live from the Pope'e Mass" at the moment. You know, I'm not Catholic, but I liked the Pope. He was a pretty cool guy: liked breakdancing and the like. Ah, well, coverage of it continues...