Boys Basketball

Tonight, I want to cover something particularly close to me; Boys Basketball at East Lyme High School. The only way i know how to describe these boys is in one word...Family. That's all i can really tell you about them. I can go to them for anything, and have faith in their protection. They are closer to me than blood and we've formed really close bonds over the last three seasons. From past seniors like Jon Nazarko and Rex Shiao, last years seniors, Eric McGlone, Angel Ortiz, Spencer Loomis, and Timmy Salvatore, to this year's Seniors, Harry Thiede, Jeff Schumacher, Ben Shaw, and Irving Eggleston, (known fondly as Boog3), i found a family in a team. I tell people that I mark my years at East Lyme by the basketball seasons. This year was a little different, but nonetheless just as special and important as past seasons. These aren't from the season, but here are some pictures from this years 3 v. 3 tournament.

Jeff Schumacher covering Harry Theide.
Big surprise. They are ALWAYS trying
to outdo each other.
But we love them, anyway.

Game Time. The boys always take it way seriously. I guess i can pick on them, because we are so close. But if anyone picked on them, you should know i'd be having NONE OF THAT. Same as the team for me, we have a "talk crap, get slapped" policy, which means if anyone hurts me, the boys will beat them up. And to answer your question, yes, i have threatened to make the basketball team beat up people who are getting on my nerves.

This is Wade MacNamara. A great kid, a junior, and a shoo-in for a basketball scholarship next season. He's one of our lead scorers and just a phenomenal person all around. Everyone loves him.

My blurry attempt at an "action" shot. Jeff's got the ball, and Harry's getting winded under the basket. What a pair.

Here's Harry's Best friend, Ben Shaw. He's really funny if you get to know him, and he's, like, super-tall.

So I guess that's my family in a nutshell. Not all of them, but there's no way i could fit that much love on one page, even if I tried. But they are a great group, the really are.

Martian

Martian's Music

Having a bad day? Tip: Listening to the saddest songs on your ipod will not make your day feel any better! You need to listen to some powerful music that makes you feel more in control, and better about yourself. So i chose some fun music to share.

Today I really needed to feel better (it was a rough day) so I thought I’d post my “feel-good” playlist for you. Here’s to making a bad day better.

-Our Song, Taylor Swift

-Barefoot Cinderella –Hannah Montana Forever

-Be Like The Bluebird, Anything Goes, Original Cast Recording

-Bop to the Top, Lucas Grabeel and Ashley Tisdale, High School Musical Soundtrack

-OhmyGod You Guys Legally Blonde the Musical, Original Cast Recording

 

-Man, I feel like a Woman, Shania Twain, Greatest Hits

-Don’t Be Stupid (you Know I Love You), Shania Twain, Greatest Hits

-Too Cool, Meghan Martin, Camp Rock Soundtrack

-Stronger, Jeannette McCurdy, Now That’s What I Call Music 39

-The Boys are Back, Corbin Bleu and Zac Effron High School Musical 3: Senior Year

So If your feeling down, or just not sure what song you want to listen to on your iPod, here's a list of Martian's Picks for a bad day.

DIY- healthy Fries

So, IDK about you, but i am a junk-food addict. The problem is, i really need to get serious about better eating. So i looked up some healthy french fry recipies, and, while most involved chick-peas or zuccini, i found one recipie that stood by itself. Take the potato, peel it, and bake it. I thought, OK, why not? I tried them and they taste like real fries, but they are so much healthier because its nothing but pure potato.

 

You can cut them in fun shapes, or try to go for the typical french fry look. Some of my attempts were pretty sad, but they all tasted the same as if id just baked the frozen french fries i bought from Stop n Shop or Shop Rite, only they were healthier. They were pure potato. That was it. So if you're an athlete trying to stay in shape for the season, or trying to eat healthier for other reasons, here's a healthy french fry recipie for you:
1. preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Peel three large potatoes and throw away the peels

3. get out a cutting board, and cut the three potatos into cucumber-like slices.
4. *optional using a metal cookie cutter, cut the potatoes into fun shapes
5. line a cookie sheet with tinfoil, and spread the potato slices apart
6. cook the potatoes until the underside is browned
7. You'll definitely want to add a little bit of salt, they are pretty bland, otherwise.
8. Add your favorite dipping sauce, dip the fries and enjoy guilt-free french fries.

Martian

DIY-personalized Clothes

Looking for a great way to turn those beat up jeans into something cool, fun, and still functional? Try adding glitter or paint to your favorite old pair of jeans. Don't blend in, stand out! Swirls and fabric paint and glitter are great ways to keep your clothes alive and original and purely yours!
OK, so here are some crazy designs i did with two old pairs of jeans, and a plain sweatshirt

So here's the jeans i designed, notice the glittery peace sign on the pockets and the colorful wave design on the hems? its perfectly matched to go with my bubbly personality. The jeans were old and already stained in a few places, so i decided to revive them with some fun new colors

 

A plain sweatshirt becomes its own canvas when you have puffy paint at your disposal. The swirls and waves not only are unique, but they are also colorful designs that make plain clothes into something thats just FUN to wear.

If you really want to show off a bit about yourself, you can add symbols of things you like to do. A symbol for theater, or sports, or your school logo to show off your spirit.

So what are you waiting for? dig out that old pair of jeans that have that old paint stain on the leg, or the ripped hem at the ankle, find some fun-colored paints, and make those old clothes new!

The Viking Saga- Student Newspaper

I'll be the first to tell you that i love to write. It remains to be seen whether i posess any skill in that hobby, however. But i do know a group of people who not only can write, but can write phenomonally. That's the school newspaper of East Lyme High School-The Viking Saga. They have a ton of creative staff members, editors, and just some of the best gosh-darn people in the school. They also put up with a ton from me, and i'll be the first to admit it. And they put up with me with the most grace and poise of just about any of my friends. So here's a post just for them...

I'm pretty sure they were only sophomores when this was taken, but in the maroon sweatshirt is this year's chiefie (short for chief editor), Kaley Roberts, and to her right is Ben Ostrowski, this year's sports editor, in blue. In red is Francis Shields, the back page editor and a funny guy when you get to know him. In light blue in front of the posterboard is Stefanie Duda, just a sweet outgoing girl. Page Burns is in yellow, a dancer, an editor, and probably the msot patient of the bunch. This picture was taken last year, but trust me, they haven't changed much. They were amazing last year, and are even better this year. I love them all to death

The top row, from left to right is Dan Gaffey (Chief) Francis Shields (back page) Ben Ostrowski (sports) and in front of him is Kaley Roberts (chief) From Left to right the front row is Alex Deford (website) Kaitlyn Murphy (advertising) Stefanie Duda (feature) Erin Doherty (Sketches-art editor) and Zoe Smallidge (news) not pictured is Page Burns, who does entertainment. I may not have gotten their exact positions correct, but you get the gist.

This is from their christmas photo. I made all the tshirts just for them and the christmas tree they are all standing around. I kept it a secret for so long. I'm the biggest blabbermouth in our school, so I can't begin to tell you how hard it was keeping it a secret. Kaley (the blonde) actually has on a GORGEOUS red dress underneath that tshirt, because the day this was taken was also the day of our school's extravaganza. I bet you wouldn't normally guess that. Like i said, this group is just fantastic, and i love our school newspaper, because the people on it are plain amazing awesome people. probably some of the best in the school.

Also, see the viking saga in action in their hillarious Friday Video, based on the song by Rebecca Black. Its mostly last year's editors, but this year's show up as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu3MxX8S2UY

Martian

iCarly

I'll admit it, i'm a closet iCarly fanatic. What can i say? What's good is good. I just found my camera that i brought to the show, so i decided to share some photos from when they came LIVE to Subase NLON. It was a great time and I even caught one of the tennis balls that Jerry Trainor threw out into the crowd. pretty crazy, right? I literally FELL on top of it. LOL. One of those hillarious memories you NEVER forget. They even gave us a preview of their new iCarly episode! So anyway, here are some pictures from awhile ago, that probably should have been up sooner....but it's a tribute to my prowess as a procrastinator!

They actually Did do a q&A with us, sort of, and i kind of talked to Jennette McCurdy, a personal hero of mine. they posed for pictures afterward, and i took easily a half dozen. Not bad, right?

At the last part, the even posed for photos. there were some funny ones, and flashes going off left and right. I would have been blinded, but they managed to smile through it. What a great night, all i could say.

Martian

Girls Basketball Banquet

So last night was the girls banquet, and can i say, what a night! The girls made me feel downright special and i had a great time. of course, i have no idea how NOT to be a manager, so i was playing waitress last night. Not that i minded, of course, but i think it kind of annoyed the girls who were saying i was a guest, i didn't have to clear the tables...i tried to sit down, but i couldn't. So anyway, here are some awesome photos from last night.

This is the girls team. Behind the two girls in the foreground, is Allie stoddard. The empty chair belongs to Jenna Schumacher, and beside her is Rebecca McGlone, Coleen Durkee, Sydney Swanson, Kelly Keenan, Carynn Bartelluci is beside her, but you cannot see her, and then Lanie Zyneski.

This is our coach, or one of them. In the blue shirt, sitting down is Mr. Schumacher, former boys assistant coach. It was just an awesome night all around! I couldn't be mroe grateful to have worked with such an amazing group this year.

Martian

Amazing People, Amazing Life

 I thought now would be a good time to post some photos of my amazing friends. Above is Kate Kielty, who graduated class of 2011. A great person, editor of the Saga. Below is Shianne Nicole, eighth grader and the daughter of My mom's boyfriend. We went to icarly together.. we're pretty tight.

Even my sisters i consider friends sometimes. Don't tell them. To the left is me and my sister Serina in the kitchen, making browned beef, my absolute FAVORITE meal. On the Right is my sister Ashley, who's closer to me then blood. She's not even my real sister but i love her like she really is. We're at a Connecticut Sun Basketball game.

So those are some of my closest friends. I don't know what i'd do with them. I've made some Amazing friends in this life. That's all i can really tell you about them. If you don't know them, i'm not sure you can completely understand.

Martian

Colchester Community Theater-Anything Goes

Colchester community theater? what IS it? I can't begin to tell you in WORDS what CCT is. It's my family, my home away from home. We use Bacon Academy's theater and we're a tight-knit group. I love working for them, i guess its my own secret obsession. I'm on the lighting crew, a position which i value right up there with living! Maybe i'm a bit obsessed, but you truly can't blame me, it's a pretty awesome thing to be a part of

 So This is our dress rehearsal, they were running lines. In the front row? Oh, that's Wallis, our director. Fantastic, Amazing, Wonderful person.

This is pre-show Saturday afternoon. Partying hard with Colchester Community theater. It's a tradition at CCT, for us to have a mini dance party before the house opens. I made some amazing friends at CCT.