A Whole New Year...

  It's been far too long since I last posted anything! I don't know if it's because my life has been just one giant rollercoaster, or because the blend having the end of the semester and the holidays was just too confusing (although I'm pretty sure it's just a mixture of both), but it's a whole new year and I plan to keep up as best I can on posting this time around!! Then again, I'm pretty sure I say that at the start of every year, but I promise to do it this time!! Well, hopefully...
  Honestly, though, it's been a pretty crazy holiday season & I actually have a lot to talk about! For example, I finally got a brand new car! Also, I got to see all of my family and friends, which hardly ever happens; &&& I turned 21!!! So, with all of these topics, plus all the shows & movies I've been watching, and school starting up again, I should have plenty of posts coming up in the next few days!

Sincerely Yours,
Lisette Monique Diaz

 

ৎ꒰ ¯ิ̑﹃ ¯ิ̑๑꒱ુ ୭ ~Sweet Dreams~ ৎ꒰ ¯ิ̑﹃ ¯ิ̑๑꒱ુ ୭

Halloweeny/Horror Movie Challenge...*~The 1st~*...

*~SPOILER ALERT~*

 The Scream Series is rumored to be one of the most popular slasher film franchises to date; therefore, it was with this series that I chose to begin my journey into my Halloweeny/Horror Movie Challenge!

Scream 1:

  First off, I would like to say how much I absolutely adore Neve Campbell's performances in every one of these movies. And I'm not being biased just because she voiced Kiara in Simba's Pride, she really did a fantastic job with these movies! I always love to watch actors grow and mature throughout the filming process of a series. So, Scream 1- for a film made in the 90s, it had same great murder scenes and effects! Ok, quick synopsis: Sidney Prescott, a high school student, is harassed by a psycho-killer who keeps phoning her and threatening to kill all of her friends, which he does. As the story progresses, the main characters are investigating who the killer is by comparing the real-life killings to the horror movie genre (which I personally thought was a clever story point). In the end, we find out that the man, Cotton, who Sidney had accused of murdering her mother the previous year is innocent and that the real murders were Sidney's psychotic boyfriend, Billy, and his best friend, Stu. The boys attempt to kill Sidney and to get away with all of their murders, but with the help of the annoying and nosy reporter, Gale Weathers, and her friends Randy and Dewey, Sidney is able to shoot them down. I really liked this movie! Although I knew from the beginning that the killer was Billy, I was surprised that Stu was apart of the plan. ((This was kind of upsetting kuz I liked him, also that he was played by Matthew Lillard, Shaggy from the Scooby-Doo movies!)) It's said that the Scream franchise revived the horror genre, and I'm not surprised. It was intense, suspenseful, and hilarious! It was also refreshing to see Sidney being a badass female hero, which is uncommon in American films, especially during this time-period.

Scream 2:

 It is common knowledge in the movie industry that sequels are never as good as the original, as discussed in the movie, but this movie was actually pretty good! The only major problem I had with it is the idea that it's still, basically, the same killer, "Ghostface." Here's a synopsis: 2years after the original film, Scream, the story takes off running after a couple is murdered during a screening of the new hit horror film, "Stab." The film is based on Gale Weather's book she wrote about Sidney Prescott and the Woodsboro murders. Meanwhile, Sidney has moved on and is attending college as a Theatre major along with her friend and fellow survivor, Randy. Naturally, people around Sidney's life (though none of any major importance) are killed in order to unsettle Sidney and her friends. Gale and Dewey arrive from their normal lives and work together- sort of- to solve the murder mysteries. Besides the random murders, this copycat murderer attempts to finish off the Woodsboro survivors and winds up succeeding in brutally killing Randy. Sidney and her roommate, Hallie, are taken by the police to a safety-house; however, mid-trip, the killer attacks them- both police are killed as well as Hallie. Sidney runs for help on campus and finds herself in the Theatre's auditorium where Sidney was planned to be playing the lead in the school play. Ghostface appears and attempts to kill Sidney behind-the-scenes. At the same time, Gale and Dewey are also being attacked by a second Ghostface in the Broadcasting department. Dewey protects Gale long enough for her to escape, but getting himself very close to death himself. Gale is brought to the auditorium, where the murderers reveal themselves: Mickey, a school friend of Sidney's, and the mastermind, Mrs.Loomis. Gale is knocked-out during the struggle, and Mrs. Loomis shoots down her psychotic partner, Mickey, and plans to kill Sidney for revenge of Billy's death. Suddenly, Cotton, who has been stalking Sidney all movie trying to get a double interview with her, appears and helps save Sidney by killing Mrs.Loomis. Gale follows Dewey to the hospital, and Sidney, who is tired of her publicity, pushes off reporter questions to the "real hero," Cotton. This sequel seems to follow the basic "rules" of movie sequels, which is of course the point! But there is also an emphasis of the character's love-lives: Dewey and Gale arguing back-and-forth, Randy's continued infatuation with Sidney, and Sidney slowly adjusting to the idea of opening herself up to her boyfriend, Derek. This movie also seems to have more comedic levels than the first. The effects and blood & gore are also as well done as the previous movie. All the acting was fantastic and very nice to watch, with the exception of the overly dramatic death of the girl at the very begging- I don't know if it was purposely done that way, or if it just happened, but I just couldn't stop laughing. There's also the point of the big reveal at the end: maybe I just wasn't paying attention, but Mickey's character just didn't stand out too much for me, so when he pulled off his mask, the effect wasn't there because I didn't know who he was, haha! And, of course the crazy news reporter that was stalking Gale the whole movie, I knew she was apart of it all, but, of course, no one knew her true identity until it was revealed, since it was the first time the character had appeared in the story. Still, one of my favorite points of the whole movie, was its continued references to the horror movie genre cliches and being sure to stick to them the whole way through the film!

Scream 3:

  The greatest part about this movie, as is stated within the film, is the fact that it is revealed that we although we believed to be done with the story, it is brought to our attention that we are dealing with the rare horror film trilogy! A quick synopsis: In order to escape her fate of forever being followed by crazed killers, and stalkers following her life from the Stab movie series, Sidney Prescott is now living in hiding away from the world. However, the new killer won't stop until he finds her and is willing to kill as many people necessary for her to come out into the open. Cotton, now a famous spokesperson, is killed along with his girlfriend during the movie's opening. Throughout the rest of the film, actors portraying characters in the new "Stab 3" movie are being murdered in the same order that their characters are killed onscreen. Of course, Gale and Dewey join the hunt for the mysterious killer along with the help of local Hollywood police. We learn that their relationship has hit a rocky point, and they spent most of this movie arguing. An old movie is found of Randy giving a 101 about movie sequels and explains the new rules for the trilogy our characters have found themselves in: Ghosts from the past start appearing and what we thought was true in the past no longer matters. It is revealed that Sidney's mother, Maureen Prescott, about 20years previously, had come to Hollywood to work as an actress in horror movies; however, while at a party, she was brutally raped and never mentally recovered. The killer, this time, Maureen's bastard son of that night, Sidney's abandoned half-brother, Roman- Stab 3's director. There's an intense struggle between Roman and Sidney, but of course, Sidney comes out on top. In the movie's conclusion, Dewey proposes to Gale, and we see that they are now living with Sidney and her ?boyfriend? Detective Mark. Ok, so my main problem with this film was that it was never officially stated that the Detective (whom I really liked) and Sidney actually started dating! Also, the fact that this movie seemed to have an increased emphasis on comedic elements. However, oddly enough, this movie seemed to be one of my favorites because it made me laugh so much! All of the actor characters were hilariously dumb, and Randy's short video commentating on the rules of a horror trilogy was fantastic! Another favorite part was the makeup, blood & gore, and settings- it was interesting to watch a film within a film and how each killing was much more elaborate than in the past. However, my absolute favorite parts of the movie was seeing that billboard: "100% COTTON!" Haha! I just couldn't stop laughing!!

Scream 4:

  Just when we thought the "trilogy" was over! But, of course, this is the movie industry, so there just had to be a a final fourth movie! Here's a quick synopsis: It's the 15th anniversary of the the legendary Woodsboro murders when Sidney Prescott returns home. She is promoting the release of her book that tells of her journey out of darkness; however, on the day of her homecoming, the murders begin again. First it's just a couple of local girls, then it comes a little closer to home. Sidney is staying with her aunt and cousin, Jill. Just after Jill's friend, Olivia, calls Sidney the "Angel of Death," she and two cops are brutally murdered, as well as Sidney's publicist. Gale and Dewey, happily married for 10years, reach a rocky patch when Gale claims to being going rogue, desperate for a good story. Gale is attacked and hospitalized. The same night, Jill leaves home to spend time with her friends and her mother, Kate, is killed in their home. Sidney finds Jill at her friend's, Kirby's home where they are attacked. Robbie, amateur blogger, is the first killed in his drunken-state. Kirby, who is the first to win Ghostface's phone challenge, is killed by Charlie, president of the school movie-enthusiasts club, when she tries to save him. In the grand reveal, we learn that Charlie has teamed up with Jill to commit these murders and compile them together to put on the internet for the world to see. However, after Jill shoots her ex-boyfriend, Trevor, she turns on her partner, claiming that only a "sole survivor" is necessary. Everyone presumably dead, Jill throws against the furniture, glass tables and stabs herself, all to stage her crime scene. Dewey and the rest of the police force arrive on-scene and Jill and Sidney are rushed to the hospital. Jill is delighted to hear reporters calling her a hero, but when Dewey tells her that Sidney is still alive, Jill leaves her room to finish the job. In the midst of their struggle, Dewey comes to the realization of Jill's guilt and rushes to Sidney's aid. His Deputy, Judy Hicks, attempts to help, but it's Gale's distraction that gives Sidney time to activate the nearby defibrillator and on Gale's signal, "Clear," Sidney shocks Jill's brain. However, like all the past films, the bad guy always come back! Judy sends one last bullet and kills her. The movie ends with reporters relaying to the world that Jill Roberts is the new "hero of Woodsboro for being the sole survivor of these killings." Another good movie, but it was obvious that this one was not in the original plans of the "Scream Trilogy." This movie's opening was the most clever of all: a movie within a movie within a movie! We start off with Lucy Hale playing a girl who is home alone with her sister and both are killed by Ghostface, and then, "Stab 6" appears on-screen. Apparently, these two friends were just watching a movie, right? Wrong. One of the girls stabs the other and suddenly, "Stab 7" jumps on-screen, and the movie officially, officially starts! Very well done. One of the worst parts of their movie, personally, was the fact that it seemed like Detective Mark had never existed! Uhm, hello! What happened to him?? The best part of this film, alongside all of the effects, blood & gore, and brilliantly dramatic acting, was the final twist! Not until just before the reveal did I think that it was possible that Jill was the murderer. Charlie, however, was an off-and-on suspect from the moment we met him. But, beyond everything else about these movies, my absolute FAVORITE part was watching the technological development! We went from having home units only and giant cellphones only on those who could afford it, to more phone availability, then flip-phones, and finally to modern-day cellphones! It was just so funny to watch.

Rosemary's Baby: 

  My first horror movie choice was quite a change from the past Scream movies! Even though Rosemary's Baby is a classic of the horror movie genre, here's a quick synopsis: We're in New York City, in the late 60s. Rosemary Woodhouse and her husband, Guy, are just moving into a beautiful old apartment. Immediately after they move-in, their nosy neighbors, Minnie and Roman Castevet, an elderly couple, become very close to Guy. The day after Rosemary meets the Castevet's house-guest, Terry, in the laundry room, she is found dead on the side-walk. Minnie uses Terry's death to become closer to Rosemary, seemingly using her as a daughter replacement. Soon after they have moved-in, Guy receives the lead role in a play after the man originally cast suddenly becomes blind. A few months have passed and Rosemary finds out she is pregnant. Guy insists on using the Castevet's personal friend as her doctor. After Rosemary's first meeting with Dr. Sapirstein, Minnie is instructed to make Rosemary daily "health drinks," and a pain develops in her stomach. It's been months into the pregnancy and Rosemary is thinner than before and looks deathly ill. After a visit from an old friend, Hutch, Rosemary stops taking her drinks and tries to return to her original choice of doctor, Dr. Hill, but after a heated argument with Guy the pains go away and Rosemary returns to her daily routines. It's nearing her due date and Rosemary looks healthy and very pregnant. She receives news that Hutch has passed away after a long-term coma; however, his final wish is granted and Rosemary receives his book on witchcraft that, inside, he has left clues and messages for her. Rosemary pieces everything together: she begins suspecting that Minnie and Roman are apart of coven and that Guy has promised them their baby for some ritual. Rosemary seeks help from Dr. Hill, but he doesn't believe her and he phones Guy and Dr. Sapirstein who drag her back home where she goes into labor. When she awakes, Guy tells her that the baby was delivered dead; however, as the days pass, Rosemary insists she can hear a baby's cries from next door. After secretly refusing her medication, Rosemary sneaks into the next room where her suspicions are proved to be true. It revealed that Satan had chosen Rosemary to be the mother to his son and that the coven was to protect the baby and raise him for their lord. At first, Rosemary is horrified of the news, but when the baby starts crying hr motherly instincts kick in, and she agrees to be a proper mother for her son, Adrian. This movie was beautiful to watch with its stunning setting, story, and amazing acting. Mia Farrow was gorgeous throughout the whole film and she did a fantastic job as the sweet and naive Rosemary. There were, of course, those moments of realization that this film was made in the late 60s, but most of the time, I was drawn into Rosemary's world and into the story unfolding before me. I am going to have to assume, however, that the reason this film is classified as a horror is because it was one of the first of its kind, because nothing about it was scary in the slightest. Again, looking at the time-period, this film must have been terrifying. But it is still proclaimed as a classic horror even in today; therefore, I must make the assumption that it is such because it was the forerunner of the satanic films to come.

Pet Sematary:

  This movie was fucking horrible for me to watch! It was the worst out of all of the others, which is also fantastic, since it's actually the second oldest out of them all! Based off of Stephen King's book, naturally the Pet Sematary was going to be a thrilling horror film with all the right twists and turns! A quick synopsis: A doctor, Louis, and his family move into a new home- his wife, Rachel; his young tomboyish daughter, Ellie; her cat, Winston Churchill; and toddler son, Gage. Their older and kindly neighbor, Jud, walks with them down a hidden path behind their house and down into a "Pet Sematary." Past children of the area built it up on their own over the years, burying their pets that had died. One day, while the family is away, the cat, Church, is run over by a speeding truck; however, feeling that it was too early for Ellie to have to learn about death, Jud shows Louis a secret Indian burial ground hidden beyond the "Pet Sematary." Dead bodies buried here are brought back to life, but their spirits are changed, or damaged. Months later, while the family is outside playing, Gage wanders near the road and is killed by a speeding truck. After his family leaves for a weekend, Louis sneaks away to the burial grounds to bring his son back to life. Jud tries to persuade him against the idea, retelling a story of a father who made the same mistake before; Ellie tries to warn him and her mother about dreams she'd been having; and the spirit of a boy who had died earlier in the movie, also tries to warn Louis against going to the grounds. Gage comes back to life and kills Jud and Rachel. Louis takes matters into his own hands and is forced to bring his son back to death- but he didn't learn his lesson. The movie ends with Louis burning down Jud's home, and taking Rachel's body to the burial grounds. She comes back in the end, and the movie closes with her reaching for a knife. Soooo, yaaaaa.... I did NOT like this movie! ( ; ; ) I was crying and screaming the whole time! They can't kill off the animals &&& the babies!! That's just the movie rules! Well, it didn't help that I kinda already knew parts of the movie, so even before Gage was hit by the truck, anytime he went near the street, I freaked out... And when he came back???? That freaking Chucky-like Gage giggling and killing everyone??? Just. No. And then Louis doesn't learn his fucking lesson and revives Rachel & they MAKE-OUT??? That was just.... EEEEEEWWWWW!! Well, besides all that, it was a great movie! That ghost-kid freaked me out a bit, but he was very much the comedy relief by the end of the movie. The make-up, setting, and music was all so well done! My favorite actor was definitely the little girl, Ellie. Every time she was crying or hurting, I believed it. I loved that little girl and was so pissed at how the movie ended!! Her dad didn't even stop to think about her when we buried Rachel's body! Jeeze, that movie really got me, and now I know why people still talk about how great it was, or is...

  I've realized something about myself: blood & gore and gruesome murders don't bother me in the slightest, actually, the more dramatic the better, I think! But when it comes to paranormal, I will be hiding under my covers, watching behind my fingers... I also continue to be impressed by these classics. I mean, they basically created the genre, but I was prepared to be laughing due to bad CG attempts (like the first Exorcist) but that hasn't really been the case. Only a couple times with these stories have I had to remind myself the time-period that these movies existed; otherwise, the story is just so well written, or the movie so well directed, that I become engrossed in the whole world of the story! And that's how a good horror movie is supposed to be!
 And so, this was only the first installment of my October Halloweeny/Horror Movie Challenge!! I'm so excited to get my wits scared out of me the rest of the month! I haven't a clue what I'm going to watch next! Maybe the Halloween series?? The Grudge?? The Omen?? It all depends on what I can find!

Sincerely Yours,
Lisette Monique Diaz

ৎ꒰ ¯ิ̑﹃ ¯ิ̑๑꒱ુ ୭ ~Sweet Dreams~ ৎ꒰ ¯ิ̑﹃ ¯ิ̑๑꒱ુ ୭ 

Upperclassmen Status...

  I remember my Junior year of high school being my busiest school year ever. And it seems the legacy shall continue... It's my 3rd year in college and although it's only been 1month, I am already spreading myself waaaaay too thin and it is stressing me out!

  This semester I am taking 18credits, and it's not too bad and I love every one of my classes! However, besides my schoolwork, I am also working my Herbalife business, helping NTXNutrition run Fit Camps, and just trying to work in a social life &&& SLEEP into my busy schedule!!
  Let me give you a quick breakdown of my day-to-day existence: Monday- Fit Camp at 5:30till about 7:30, History from 11-11:50, lunch break, Japanese from 1-1:50, Stage Management from 2-4:50, then Fit Camp from 6:30 till about 8:30. Tuesday- Acting Realism from 9:30-11:50, Astronomy 12:30-1:50, and Crackin' Up Meetings from 6:30-8:30. Wednesdays follow Monday's pattern with the addition of Astronomy Labs from 3-5 (No Stg. Management) & Theatre in the Holocaust from 6-8:50 & no Evening Fit Camp. Thursdays follow Tuesday's pattern with the addition of Weigh-In Meetings at 2:30 & Yosakoi practice from 4-6 (No Meetings). Luckily, Fridays I have only Japanese and I've been able to spend the weekends either relaxing or catching up on homework/ studying! That is, unless I'm asked to spend time with friends or work, or I have to go watch a performance. I also have to make sure to fit in my meals & Flyers & homework & SLEEP... I've already had to miss classes (luckily my History and Astronomy classes don't take attendance) and I've slowly started to fall behind on assignments...
 Thank goodness my first month of Fit Camp is complete! I'll now be able to sleep-in &&& get started on my homework earlier! Besides everything else, I decided to sign up for another Study Abroad, sooooo I'm going to have to pick up another job to raise enough money! And I've realized now that it wasn't such a good idea to audition for my friend's musical- good thing I'm just a chorus member, because I'm just going to have to tell her I can't participate! (>.<)

  Now, however strange it sounds, I love being this busy! Sure, I don't have time for ANYTHING and I'm stressing every single day, but I honestly don't know what to do with myself if I don't have a million things running through my mind all day!! It's hard to pick a favorite class, they all have their pros and their cons:
History is, well, History! 'Nuf said! Buuut, it's the easiest class I have because everything is online and there are no deadlines! It's so easy & I'm learning so much!
Japanese is, of course, as annoyingly difficult as ever, but it's still Japanese! I absolutely love learning the language! I've also been trying to attend as many of the organization's meetings! I've even taken to Takeuchi-sensei's weekly lessons of Yosakoi dance- a fun combination of traditional and modern Japanese dance & a great workout!
Stage Management is one of the more intriguing classes I'm taking because 1) it pertains to my major, & 2) I think that I may be really good at it! I would love to get more practice in Stage Managing in my near future!
Acting Realism may be the most rewarding class I'm taking this semester. After all, it is a "gateway" class, meaning that once I pass it, I'll be able to take a bunch more major specific courses. Bob, my teacher, is a fantastic Theatre instructor with a million hilarious stories of working on & off the stage. He also has a talent for pulling out the best actor out of everyone! This, most of all, makes me both nervous and excited for what's in store for the rest of  the semester!
Astronomy is a subject that I have always had an interest for & I am so glad I'm finally getting to take it! I'm getting to learn so much that I didn't know before, and just the other day I got to visit the observatory and look at different constellations and, oh.... Everything about it was just beautiful!
Theatre in the Holocaust is one of the most fun classes I'm taking, surprisingly. First off, my favorite teacher is teaching it! And second, everyone in the class is hilariously amazing and opinionated! We get into a lot of great discussions and debates about various Holocaust topics! Also, every class is basically the same: read a play or short novel, reflect and discuss, then spend the rest of the time watching an amazingly written and directed movie about the Holocaust.

  So, ya. However much trouble I've been getting myself into, I wouldn't even think of dropping even one of my classes! They're just too amazing! But I am willing to make a compromise: I'm wanting to stress a little less and do more things I did before school started like, reading for pleasure or working on my Poke'mon Princess Debut! I'm really hoping to find more time for relaxation during the rest of this semester!

Sincerely Yours,
Lisette Monique Diaz

ৎ꒰ ¯ิ̑﹃ ¯ิ̑๑꒱ુ ୭ ~Sweet Dreams~ ৎ꒰ ¯ิ̑﹃ ¯ิ̑๑꒱ુ ୭ 

Hello Fall...

It's that time of year again!

As always, I have been immensely busy with the start of school, work, Fit Camps, Theatre, Japanese, and just life in general! I suppose now is as good as any a time for a "catch-up" post!

I bid farewell to my family and got myself moved into my new dorm room! Mozart Hall is the upperclassmen dorm, so it's nice and quiet most of the time and the room comes with a fridge and my own bathroom! For one glorious week, I believed myself lucky enough to be roommateless, but a week after school started, Markie moved in. She's not bad, kinda nice, and only sometimes does some of her, I suppose, "habits" rub me the wrong way... I also got fish!! Sadly, within just a couple weeks, 3of the original 4 DIED!! And, since I am currently with no car, I had no way of returning for a refund! I swear, it wasn't my fault! My Catfish, Gary, is the only one left! It's so sad...

My very first weekend back and I had already been dragged into helping NTXNutrition and running their Fit Camps for September! My new HERBALIFE definitely deserves a post of its own, so all I'll say is that I LOVE IT!!!! Even though it has near completely taken over my LIFE! 

Another major part of my life has always been my love for the Japanese Language and Culture! I am back in classes at school, and it is still as annoyingly difficult as ever with my teacher, but I love it all the same. I've even taken to joining her weekly dance rehearsals of Yosakoi!

Just a couple weekends ago, I went with a group of friends to Dallas' Akimatsuri! The others had never been, so it was fun to walk around, play games, and watch performances! One of the girls that tagged along, Amy, was a Taiwanese exchange student and she was so into everything that was happening, it was so cute! She also kept turning to one of the other girls, Haruka, a Japanese exchange student, and asking questions about everything she experienced! It was adorable.

This semester I'm taking 18credit hours at school.... I can even let that speak for itself for how busy I've been! My classes include: History, Japanese, Stage Management, Acting Realism, Astronomy- Stars and the Universe and Theatre in the Holocaust. Surprisingly, I love every one of my classes! Each of them, of course, has its pros and cons, so I'll definitely have to expand on these classes in a separate post! Besides school, work, and everything else, my friends and I have finally officialized our own UNT Theatre Organization! Crackin' Up: An Improv Group for Young Audiences!! Our first meeting isn't until next week, so I'll definitely have more to say later! 

Another major part of my life this past month have been all the shows I've been watching! And because I am currently caught up with the Naruto Shippuden Anime, I restarted on the manga! It has been so great getting to relive all of these stories without any fillers! Besides Naruto, I've been watching a LOT of shows... I blame it on the fact that I am always busy with everything else! I've watched through the second season of The Walking Dead and season 1of The Game of Thrones; I am caught up with Glee, Once Upon a Time, and The Legend of Korra on TV; I am catching up on Doctor Who (Season 3) and Detective Conan; I'm still waiting for the Pretty Little Liars season premiere; and I just started on The Musical (Korean Drama) &&& American Horror Story for Halloween!! So, ya, Netflix has not been good for me! (>u<) Of course, there are a million Animes that I need to complete, and a number of shows I've been told to watch, so I'm sure I'll be kept entertained for a long while! 

I'm so happy to be back to blogging! There are a couple of posts already planned to be made, as mentioned above; however, besides those, it's October!! And this year, I've decided to challenge myself to watch a different Halloweeny/Horror movie every night! Along with this October challenge, I'm hoping I can make weekly posts reviewing what movies I watched! I'm so excited- there are just so many classic horror movies I haven't seen!!

Sincerely Yours,

Lisette Monique Diaz  

ৎ꒰ ¯ิ̑﹃ ¯ิ̑๑꒱ુ ୭ ~Sweet Dreams~ ৎ꒰ ¯ิ̑﹃ ¯ิ̑๑꒱ુ ୭ 

Sinister 6...

What seems to have become a sort of tradition, 

I ended the summer by spending time with my friends,

attending the ever-growing con, San Japan!

Day 1:

  Luckily, we arrived early to the hotel and got checked-in and went through badge pick-up amazingly quick! None of us really knew what to do with ourselves, so early in the con! We spent most of this day roaming the Dealer's Room, Artists Alley, and just enjoying all of the cosplayers! I ran into a number of friends that I hadn't seen in a while, so it was really nice to catch up!

 Around mid-day, we discovered that there was to be an Avatar: The Last Airbender demonstration!! None of us knew what to expect; nevertheless, we were all excited and rushed to the front row seats! Sifu Kisu, this hilariously wonderful man pictured above, explained and demonstrated a number of bending techniques. Sifu, it turns out, was one of the founders of the original Avatar series, and remains to be its head martial arts specialist! It was so amazing getting to see bending come-to-life!!

  To close-out the night, I attended my first EVER Rock concert!! Almost two years ago, now, one of my friends, Stacy (whom I've taken Japanese &&& VA classes with), got me into their music. Like most fans, I had heard about the band because its lead-singer, Johnny Yong Bosch, is a big-time Anime voice actor (also the original Black Power Ranger); however, not until Stacy gave me access to their music did I really fall in love! Now I own all of their albums & I was so happy I finally got to see them perform live!! 

  Another great thing I've learned: Short people get the BEST concert spots!! Upon entering the stage, Eyeshine told everyone to move closer to the stage in order to have a more intimate concert setting, so I was near literally ON the stage! Polo, the lead-guitarists was RIGHT THERE!! I had to keep taking steps back because I was scared he was going to hit me! But still, it was so FANTASTIC! Polo is such an amazing guitarist & I got to see his playing and facial expressions up-close & personal!!

The BEST part of the night, though, was getting to see Stacy pulled on-stage!! She is seriously Eyeshine's biggest fan: she talks to Ginny and Polo over Facebook all of the time, she brings them their favorite snacks every time they meet, and she makes sure to attend every concert she can! Partway through a song, Polo reaches over the crowd and pulls her onstage, gives her his guitar, and she got to jam out with Johnny!! Her face was so red and I was so happy for her!! 

 I'm so happy that Eyeshine was my first rock concert! They were amazing and so much fun!! All of their fans obviously love them, and the con atmosphere made it all so much more intimate and exciting! I'm hoping I can tag along with Stacy to more Eyeshine concerts in the future!!

Day 2:

  The following day happened to be just as exciting as the first! I made it to the Finals of the San Japan Ani-Idol competition! It was a lot of fun performing, but with only 2days of preparation, I knew there was no way I would be able to advance any further... Teehee, but there's always next year!! (*0*)

  Besides the competition, I got to meet this awesome lady, Kieran Strange! She's a British singer who is too amazing and has an adorable accent! I had never met her before, but I knew by how we subconsciously matched shirts & the way she freaked out at my Spider-Man USB drive, that she was going to be cool... After meeting her, I decided to listen to some of her music & I love it! She's become so big recently and will be starting her Japan tour this fall, traveling around performing her own creation of "British nerd-rock!" I can't wait to see her career blowup in the near future!

The second day, I was so busy running around trying to get from panel to panel, as well as attending the competition, so I didn't get to take as many pictures as I would have liked! However, there were so many that I loved! I saw so many classic Anime characters, which made me so happy! And, of course, the usual abundance of Naruto and Poke'mon cosplayers were there as well!

I was so happy to catch quite a few Sakura Kinomoto cosplayers! I just had to stop and take a picture of my favorite Anime characters!! I am desperately hoping that I will be able to cosplay next year too!! Sakura, of course, is my dream cosplay, but at this point, I'll do whatever I can manage! Other personal cosplay ideas are Ciel Phantomhive from Kuroshitsuji / Black Butler, && Vanellope von Schweetz from Wreck-It-Ralph!! o(^ ^)o

  Besides the Ani-Idol competition, my goal for the second day was to attend every Voice Actor panel! And I did!! All of the panels were back-to-back, all in the same room, so it was pretty convenient! The VA panels are always my favorite part of attending conventions! Even if I've already met the person, I still love hearing all of the stories! 

  This guy... Just... Let's just say, he was hilarious, vulgar, and soooo hyper! I don't know why people kept giving him sugar throughout the day! Haha, but it was great to meet the infamous, Scott McNeil!! Voice of Van Hohenheim (FMA), Koga (Inuyasha), Wolverine (X-Men Evolution), and a million other credits, but more importantly- Piccolo from Dragonball Z!!!! 

  My friends and I just happened to run into him about a hundred times throughout the day, and every meeting was an event! Eventually, we got his autograph and the chance to be a part of this San Japan photo-op! He also gave me a bunch of hugs because he claimed that I was "height-efficient and so adorably huggable!" Haha, I loved this guy! (^-^) 

  After seeing her at panels a number of times in the past couple years, I finally got to officially meet the amazingly talented and adorable, Carrie Savage! Another one of the "greats" with a million voice credits including, Maromi (Paranoia Agent), Momoka (Ouran High School Host Club), Kaname (Madoka Magica), &&& Mokona from Tsubasa: Resevoir Chronicles & XXX/Holic!! She was such a sweetheart! And don't be deceived, the only reason why she looks so tall compared to me is because she was wearing heels! (-u-)

  My highlight of the weekend, or maybe of the year: I got to meet the amazingly awesome, Jerry Jewell!!! I found out that he was attending San Japan months ago, and just as I did with all previous guests, I was so excited! Except, as the days passed, I thought more and more about the characters that he's done and I realized- he's voiced basically every one of my FAVORITE Male Anime characters!!!! Claire Stanfield (Baccano!), Russia (Hetalia), Kyo Sohma (Fruits Basket), Jin/ Sakamoto/ Suzaku (YuYu Hakusho), Happiness Bunny (Shin-chan), and of course a million other amazing characters I could throw in there, BUT, his most important one for me- Jimmy Kudo from Case Closed!!!!

  After I realized this, the con just became a mission: GET JERRY JEWELL'S AUTOGRAPH! And I did... I mean, sure, I had to be one of those fangirls that bombarded him at his very last panel (the 18+ panel, which was SO GREAT, by the way), but hey, at least I got it!!! And it was so weeeeiiird!! I hadn't been "star-struck" in such a long time! I didn't know what to say when I met him! I'm just so happy I did.

Day 3 

  All we did was hit the dealer's room for all of its sales and check-out of our hotel, but none of this mattered to me, because, basically, my dreams came true this weekend!! I got to meet so many awesome people, attend my first rock concert, and meet one of my FAVORITE voice actors!! 

  It's times like these when I just want to hit fast-forward on my life and be a voice actress already! I mean, I'm optimistic enough to fully believe I will be someday, and even though I'm only 20years old, I feel like it's taking FOREVER!! I want to be that person that makes people feel as amazingly happy like I do right now, just thinking about this weekend! Anyways, San Japan Sinister 6, definitely one to remember! I can't wait till next year, but till then, I've got about 9months of school to deal with! Wish me luck!!

Sincerely Yours,

Lisette Monique Diaz

ৎ꒰ ¯ิ̑﹃ ¯ิ̑๑꒱ુ ୭ ~Sweet Dreams~ ৎ꒰ ¯ิ̑﹃ ¯ิ̑๑꒱ુ ୭ 

Inks Lake...

  This summer, my family tried something new: 

A Family Camp Out! 

  I planned everything out months in advance, Mom booked the location, and on the afternoon of August  2nd we were all packed and stuffed in two cars, headed to Inks Lake!

  Personally, I was immensely excited for the weekend since I love being outside and camping! Buuut, I knew that it was going to be a hassle with my sisters... By the end of the 1st day, there were already complaints about the heat and money issues, amongst other things...

  Most of us climbed up this rock and jumped into the lake! 

It was so great!!   

It seemed that when we were swimming and just hanging out everyone was enjoying themselves and the beautiful scenery! 

  And it sure was gorgeous. 

  The boys and I found a small trail behind our campsite and at its end was a cliff with the lake at its edge. 

  There was also a herd of deer that hung around our campsite.

...Sometimes I think I'm a photographer...

"I feel like I'm stuck in a painting!" ~Suzette

However much I love my family, I sometimes miss the old days when it was just the 3of us and our camping trips every year.

We finished out our camping trip by bringing color to our flames! It was the coolest thing ever!! 

And the next day, after we were all sunburnt, Mom decided she wanted us to take family portraits, and that was an adventure in itself! 

Sincerely Yours,
Lisette Monique Diaz

 ৎ꒰ ¯ิ̑﹃ ¯ิ̑๑꒱ુ ୭ ~Sweet Dreams~ ৎ꒰ ¯ิ̑﹃ ¯ิ̑๑꒱ુ ୭ 

The Road to Voice Acting...

This year, the universe decided to start my summer off with a resounding, bang! 

  The week before I left for home, FUNimation decided to have their annual open auditions! Like, literally, my car was packed with everything from my dorm, ready for the 5hour trip to San Antonio after my audition!
  I went in, immensely excited and nervous, but I have to admit, I did a great job hiding my inner fangirl! Especially when I walked the halls and saw the XXX/Holic and DBZ wall art &&& when I passed Justin Cook's office... It was hard, but I was able to hold it in and act professional! When I got called in, Joel McDonald and I discussed how a number of students from UNT had already been through the audition, and I wasn't surprised, I knew a number of people from school who were interested. We had a quick 15minute session: I read for 3characters, gave my thanks, and left. I know that I could have done better, but there was no way I was going to fret about it because I had a great time in the booth! I loved being in there, wearing the headphones, and knowing that I am officially on the FUNi voice database was a definite boost to the summer holidays!

  I also signed up to take another one of Crispin's VA workshops! 

  I only took one this time, the Scene Studies class, and although I had already taken the class before, I still learned so much. Of course, having a completely new group of students, you get to experience all different levels of the voice acting world. This time I got to voice Roxanne from "The Goofy Movie" as well as Astrid from "How to Train Your Dragon." You don't understand how excited I got for Astrid!! It was fun, and I loved watching everyone perform their character scenes. After the class was done I talked to Crispin and his wife, Izobel, about their other classes. Izobel and I discussed my need to attend their Anime VA class, and hopefully when next summer roles around it will be available??? The most exciting news, however, came when Crispin told me that he thought I was ready to start actually working! (OxO) I got pretty excited, and even more so, motivated to get a move-on! 

  And then there came another summer surprise: Bang Zoom! Entertainment decided to hold an open audition at Anime Expo!! Apparently, they've been doing little auditions every AX; however, this year they were holding the auditions for an actual series they are getting ready to dub- This was my main motivator for the weekend! It was great to watch others ((I say that a lot, but it's true!)) and quite nerve-wracking getting up there myself! Buuuut, having a Crispin Freeman wish you luck on the audition is a great remedy for the nerves! After my audition, several random people came up and told me that I had a great audition! And, although I am positive they will never read this, THANK YOU!! It's always little praise like that keep me motivated to work harder at making my way in this industry. I'm hoping to be able to take more and more classes in the next year, especially the Adventures in Voice Acting when they come back to Dallas! I am so ready to learn everything possible and to get to work!!

Sincerely Yours,

Lisette Diaz

 ৎ꒰ ¯ิ̑﹃ ¯ิ̑๑꒱ુ ୭ ~Sweet Dreams~ ৎ꒰ ¯ิ̑﹃ ¯ิ̑๑꒱ુ ୭ 

Birthday Princess...

This summer, our little Coraline turned 2years old!!

  HOWEVER, instead of the normal 1day celebration, this little girl got 4birthday parties! 1party was hosted by my father and celebrated with all of their friends; the second was hosted by Disneyland, the third was actually ON her birthday, and the fourth and final party was held for our immediate family.

  Party #1: Dad, Jennifer, and a host of their friends celebrated with us. It was a sort-of block party, and because it was on the 4th of July, the military base had a ton of celebratory events happening. The same day, Suzette, Billy and I had also attended Anime Expo, so by the time the party had begun we were already exhausted. Even so, we had to be good party guests! At some point, I escaped the craziness and hid in an upstairs bedroom where I killed a few hours watching tv. Haha, I'm such a party animal!

The theme was Monster's University, since Cora's favorite movie is Monster's Inc. How funny that the prequel was released just before her birthday! I have yet to see it, but I've heard great reviews; besides, if Cora likes it, I'll most likely love it!

Party #1 was a crazy success! The kids and adults all had fun, && we got to watch fireworks at its conclusion! What a lucky little birthday girl! 

MY favorite birthday celebration was party #2!! Dad and Jenny took us to 3days of Disneyland!!! ((No matter how old I get, Disney parks will always make me happy!)) Sadly, because we had a fussy Cora who needed nap times, we only did 3half-days, but it's better than none.

On the first day of Disney we spent most of our time in the kids area riding teacups and every little storybook ride we could find! We also did Build-a-Bear, and ate at the Rainforest Cafe' which has become a sort of tradition for our family. On the second day we ate at Ariel's Grotto for lunch, which was pretty exciting since we had never been before. They gave us a cute Belle birthday cake and  on the last day, we met a bunch of the princesses!! I'm pretty sure I was the most excited out of everyone there!! 

Me & Princess Coraline!
She looked so freaking cute in her dress!!

This year's Belle,
I'm thinking Ariel for the next one??
(>w<)

Yes, I'm an Ariel fangirl!!

Princess Cora with Princess Ariel!!

She was pretty fascinated with all of the princesses

And she kept mimicking them!

Cora got to meet her Favorite Princess, Tiana!

And then Belle, Suzette's favorite!

&&&& yes, I got to meet Ariel!!! I was sooo excited!! As I said, I was the most excited!! 

Coraline's 3rd birthday party was nice and little. And guess what- it was actually on her birthday! Mom just got a cupcake and a candle for Cora, she blew it out, and the end! She was officially 2!!

Cora's 4th, and final birthday, was planned by Suzette and Billy and held at their new house. This one was nice and little too: Our family came over and some of their friends. The theme was Dr. Seuss, and it was so cute! 

Suzette got super excited since she was planning the party! She made green deviled eggs, and decorated the whole house in Dr. Seuss. I had fun, and it was cute watching Cora opening her gifts.

It's funny to see her reactions to everything, since she's still learning everything. And I'm excited to see her grow in the years to come! 

Sincerely Yours,

Lisette Diaz

ৎ꒰ ¯ิ̑﹃ ¯ิ̑๑꒱ુ ୭ ~Sweet Dreams~ ৎ꒰ ¯ิ̑﹃ ¯ิ̑๑꒱ુ ୭