SNAKES ALIVE!

Last Tuesday Sept. 18^th, 2012, several unique reptiles made a visit to the Anne Arundel Community College dining hall as part of the SNAKES ALIVE!™ national touring program.
Tom Kessenich, a herpetologist: one who studies amphibians, was in the dining hall at AACC with a real live American Alligator named Itty Bitty Gator.
Students and faculty were privileged to have been able to hold the 10-year-old alligator in their hands to feel its skin and scales. One anonymously named student who held the alligator said that “it felt like soft rubber.”
Kessenich was not only there to manage the alligator along with other reptiles like snakes, pythons, tegu, and tarantulas, but also to teach the students and faculty more about the creatures.
“In captivity, gators can live up to be 80-years-old” so says the herpetologist.
"They use their tail and mouth like a broom and dustpan [in order to feed themselves]" continues Kessenich with another fact about alligators. It was also mentioned that one of Itty Bitty Gator’s favorite meals is chicken.
Some other facts about the creatures that were there that day are that corn snakes are from the eastern and southern U.S. and they can grow to be 24-72 inches long. Also, the black and white tegu can grow up to 5 feet long.
Kessenich says that he has been working in the field of herpetology “for about a decade” and that Itty Bitty Gator is “10-years-old and still growing”.

My Eager Anticipation

Every so often, I discover something that is to be introduced in the near future, whether it is a new movie, book, television show, or technological device, that becomes the main item of excitement and anticipation in my mind until it is released. Up until last Thursday September 13, it was the premiere of the fourth season of Glee on Fox.

But right now, I am insane about the release of the new film The Perks of Being a Wallflower that is based on the novel by Stephen Chbosky of the same name. What is interesting and so relieving to hear is that Chbosky is also the director of the film. It's so relieving for this to be a reality because Chbosky can direct the film the way he wants and the way he wrote it in the novel. I don't know why he would change or omit something out of the film that is already in the novel. It's a movie he's directing based on his own novel for goodness sake, but I digress.

Anyway, I really cannot wait to see this film. It comes out September 21 (but it's limited) and if there's a midnight premiere, you know I'll be getting my ticket right away.

I read and finished the novel not too long ago and I completely fell in love with it. It's about this freshman named Charlie. He has some minor personal and mental issues, he tries to cope with his best friend's suicide, and he is shy and introverted as he begins high school. But he meets two seniors, Sam and Patrick, who live life to the fullest and they bring Charlie into their circle of friends and help him come out of his shell. As the school year progresses, relationships are made, drama conjures up, and Charlie comes to terms with his life and how it must be lived along with the obstacles it may bring. Charlie's new friend's help him become part of the real world.

What makes this film more anticipating is that Emma Watson is in it.

I absolutely loved this novel and what I didn't know before was that my sister had also read the book in high school and she also loved it. I guess I have someone to go with who loves the novel just as much as I do.

I have been waiting for this film ever since I saw the trailer. Even though it is a limited release, I hope I'll be able to actually see it opening weekend.

~La Vie Boheme~

Steven Thompson

Whether he went up the Eiffel Tower, danced at British raves, visited the Globe Theater, or ate authentic French food, it was all possible as a result of good grades in school.

While 21-year-old Steven Thompson was in Paris, France, he “climbed the Eiffel Tower, got to explore the Louvre [Museum], got to see a lot of castles, and ate amazing French food.”

Thompson also had the privilege of visiting London. “I went to my first rave, [I] spent a weekend at the United Kingdom sailing academy, [I] got to ride the London eye, and [I] got to see the reconstructed Globe Theater.”

 “[The student ambassador program] was for college credit and I got selected [based] on my grades,” states Thompson as he reminisces of his 2007 visit to Paris, France and London, where he stayed with a host family. Thompson currently resides in Hanover, Md. with his mother.

After he had graduated from high school, Thompson made his transition into the next chapter of his life which would get him ready for the rest of his life.

Thompson is currently a student at Anne Arundel Community College. This is where he chose to go to school after he transferred out of Catholic University because he “hated [it].” “There were too many kids from Jersey who lived the Guido lifestyle or they were extremely religious …hardly any middle ground.” But Thompson decided to take a different path, here at AACC.

While at AACC, Thompson is majoring in transfer studies, but when he transfers to a four year university, he hopes to major in journalism.

Journalism is what he dreams of pursuing as a career, with concentrations in fashion and film analysis. What got Thompson into fashion was the television series Sex and the City starring Sarah Jessica Parker. He and his mom used to watch it all the time when he was younger.

What made Thompson become interested in film criticism is the fact that he loves the world of film. In fact, his favorite film is called “The Science of Sleep” directed by Michel Gondry who also directed “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.”

Whether he’s going to Europe, or staying right here in Maryland, Steven Thompson is going places.

-30-

Innovative Bands or Sellouts?

I haven't been a big fan of bands lately. When I say bands, don't mean what people call bands now like One Direction or The Wanted where there is a group of incredibly good looking guys just so they can make girls drool and make money. I mean bands like ones with a group of guys who each play an instrument that is vital to create music.
I used to like Maroon 5 but not anymore. They were good in there "Songs About Jane" days and I absolutely loved their next album "It won't be soon before long." But nowadays, they have completely sold themselves to the mainstream media that I cannot deal with them anymore. Yes "Payphone" is catchy and fun to sing to in the car, but it's like they're just trying to make money. Maybe it happened right after lead singer Adam Levine became a co-host of NBC's "The Voice." But I digress.
Probably the only band I love right now is Coldplay. I went to their concert when they were at the Verizon Center on July 8th, 2012. I was supposed to go with my sister but she was unavailable so I had to go with my mom because of the short notice. They know how to put on a show. It was incredible!
But I recently discovered a new favorite band. They're name is Imagine Dragons and my favorite song by them is called "It's Time." I first heard of the song because I heard that Darren Criss' character, Blaine, on Glee is going to cover in on the first episode of the show's fourth season, set to air September 13th, 2012 at 9 p.m. I then discovered that the same song was used as the background song for the trailer of my current most anticipated film called "The Perks of Being a Wallflower."
But Imagine Dragons only had an EP album with I think around five songs. But they just released their first full album. I usually listen to music on Spotify but I may purchase this album on iTunes just because I love it so much.
But now, I'm hoping Imagine Dragons doesn't eventually sell themselves to the mainstream media, like Maroon 5, just because their song is being covered on one of TVs most popular show.

~La Vie Boheme~

Mixed Feelings

Going back to school gives me mixed feelings. It's a great new feeling after a long summer vacation but it's difficult to become disciplined into getting your school work done.