What's behind the façade?

Have you ever been walking down the street or in a busy crowd somewhere and caught yourself looking at the people passing you by without giving you a second glance?
Not just flicking your eyes from one face to the next, but really looking at the person. Trying to see past the exterior into what they might be hiding.

It's scary to think about, but how many of these people have abused their loved ones? How many have had their children taken or even killed? How many have been raped, been molested, been traumatized by some strange experience?

It's funny... especially at the teenage stage in life, you'd think, people consider the problems they are having to be the most predominant and important in the world, and no one would ever understand...but with over 6 billion people on this planet (and certainly more in the expanse- emphasis on EXPANSE- of the universe, wouldn't you say?), there's definitely someone who's been through it all before, and dealt with it or moved on or something like that.
Not to say adults aren't guilty of this crime as well, but it's a thing that fades with maturity.

Get over it.

Instead, however, some people accept these problems and put on a disguise as if nothing is wrong when out in this strange maze we call civilization and our society.

But are we honestly that civil?

It's a strange world we live in...some people live their entire lives not knowing half of what's happening with their friends and neighbors, and in even worse cases, their spouses, sons and their daughters.
People act so surprised when they catch someone cheating or someone doing drugs.. but if they'd taken the time to know someone, they'd have seen it coming and either taken preventative action or ended it there.

A certain Doctor Quinquestriatus really hooked me a few months ago when he told me that he was fascinated with people and their stories.. ranging from war vets to teenage hookers. He'd sit and listen to them tell their tales, and what defined them. What happened to them.
Doctor Q, I salute you. Perhaps if there were more of you, society would be slightly less distanced today.
You see and know that individuals make a larger impact than it may seem these days. A gesture of kindness and understanding can even have a domino effect... being reproduced and maybe, with a positive enough outlook, changing the world.

Maybe a world with no artificiality is out of the question. I wouldn't doubt it- those who know me certainly know I'm not a supporter of the world peace ideal, as I for one believe it to be quite impossible- but that doesn't mean we can't try, right?

People are strange strange beings.. yet this is the whole in which I am a part, so I can't complain.

"Don't shortchange people by halfway knowing them. Take time to get to know people around you. As a rule of thumb, try to know enough about them so you could sign a yearbook if they asked."
Without saying H.A.G.S. indeed, doc.

-CS.

(For those who caught the nod to Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde", kudos to you. If not, read it, and find it yourself.)

L'Ouverture de...well, pas de Toussaint.

When I was little (alright, not too little, because I was indeed under a rock until my third form or so..) I always wanted to conduct.
Not a train, though, kids. [:

I always wanted to conduct an orchestra. It was one of the most fascinating, glamorous ideas on what to do in the universe to me.

For the longest time I wanted to play the flute- which did come true, mind you- but one day, we played a game in music class in which everyone took a specific instrument up- the card with its picture, I should say. All these "instruments" would draw with a certain color marker depending on their instrument, and would draw according to what the conductor's movements were- that conductor being one kid that directed the rest of the kids. It was an activity based on teamwork, but I found myself becoming more and more drawn to be the one up there. Not to be the center of attention, of course, because I was still quite shy...but to make something fantastic by blending individual magnificence. It was indeed appealing to me.
As I grew older, my taste in music took a slightly different turn, and I've found so many pieces from Broadway shows and musicals that I've additionally fallen in love with.
Anyway.
The point of this?



The first three minutes or so of that I completely adore. [:
Kristin Chenoweth isn't my favorite actress in the world (she's good, don't get me wrong), but the concept recording and the group of musicians working on the soundtrack and on/off Broadway of this musical when she was cast was...
*dies and is dead.*
They're fantastic. [:

That's all I had to say.
Listen to it and fall in love for yourself.. or think your corsair is crazy, whichever you choose.
I'm happy.
[:
Later.

Arr.

I sit and tap out a familiar rhythm on the edge of my desk with my knuckles while the sounds of the city at night float in from the open window, and I'm strangely satisfied.

Perhaps there's an emotional capacity people have.
There's this one point that just tears it for everyone. With anger, it's considered "the last straw." In sadness, it could be the point where tears well up in the corners of your eyes; for others, it could be the point in which they begin streaming down the sides of your face.

But these are just the "breaking points" of simple emotions.
No, there could be a point in which your mind just snaps completely.
Insanity? Sure. For some.
Withdrawal? Sure, for some.
Depression, faking happiness, suicide, self-mutilation.
Sure.
For some.

Anyone could tell you stress hits hard emotionally just as much- if not more than- insults or emotional-roller-coaster-inflicting causes.

Hmm...can't you tell I've been stressed?
I start thinking about these things and it's never healthy.
Perhaps breakdowns are good once in a while...it reminds you that you care, and it reminds you that you are indeed human.

For anyone who noticed, I've changed my rank to Corsair because I feel like I am indeed a romantic-as-fuck pirate who deserves a better name.
Heh.
Corsairs were French privateers, but they were eventually notoriously referred to as "corsairs" for their swashbuckling and thieving habits.
French pirates. Mm. Sounds sexy.
Hahaha.

Wish me luck on my exams. God save the kids. *face-keyboard*

Scene fades, and screen distorts to resemble a stereotypical television cutoff. Cut to black, pull the curtains, call for applause.
Fin.

Soap.

Alright.
Apparently, I'm a very bad person for lying to the masses and to an inanimate website by saying I wouldn't neglect this damn blog anymore.
But it's been brought to my attention that I need to update it..
--
Zuko here. Don't have any experience writing, so bear with me.
Well... No experience in the blogsphere. I... I'm really at a loss for words. Should I introduce myself?
Yeah, thats a good place to start.
I'm 16. I obsess over music and my girl, who evidently laces her tarts and cookies with plastic explosives.
--
(It's true. [:)
--
See that? We're typing on the same computer, except it's like remote access. So she cuts in when I least expect her to.
--
(Also true.)
--
But we're all aware who wears the pants here. *points to his jeans*
But this is her page on the webs..
--
Which she has taken back over.
For a short time- as now it's time for sleep.
Yeah, so this was a weird post, I know, but hopefully it will be continued soon.
(I might even make Zuko an admin. Hmm...)
Anyway, my sexy ponies, I'm out for the night. Later.

Let the Bodies Hit the Floor.

Ahh!
To quote the lovely Maddox, blog dearest, "I've been neglecting you like an unwanted stepchild."
(I promise I'm not too terribly off the deep end...I promise.)

Well, this week has become very uncomfortably strange and crowded with events I don't want to do.

...Alright, alright, just one event I don't want to do.
We're debating on Saturday.
With eighth graders.
And I'm with a seventh grader.
She's cool... [cool not being of its normal definition, I'm thinking..] but...I mean, the topic is the death penalty, and I'm trying to own ass again at a topic I haven't taken a shot at in almost 8 months.
Fun, right?
Oh, well...like my sardonic college-kid coach says, I'll get over it.

But on the plus side, the dance is tomorrow...though I'm not completely sure that's a PLUS side still.
Though half the kids attending are excited about it as it is, the other half are trying to sabotage the thing..
Probably in the best interest of us all, but it's still slightly disconcerting.

At least I can see Zuko.
That makes it an uber-plus. [:

So that's all I have to say on this lovely evening...or at least, all that comes to mind.
I'll try my best not to neglect you anymore, my lovely blog.
[Again...not crazy...or completely, at least. xD]

Hunger and bats. Erm.. bats are delicious?

Kyaah.
I'm hungry.
Like, you don't even know.

I did a famine earlier this year- at Easter I believe- with my church.
I didn't get hungry THEN.
But for some reason when I've eaten several times prior to dinnertime today, I get so hungry. Haha.
And my primary source of food, aka my mother, has yet to arrive home.

*sigh*
I suppose the best thing to do would be to not think about food.
Okay.
...
I made a Zubat today.
Well, okay, not a REAL Zubat, but a Sculpey one.
I like to think I'm a good sculptor when I work with Sculpey. Haha.
Anyway, digressing..
So I baked the thing, and everything was looking wonderful, until its wings fell off.
Goddamned wings.
Falling off and such.



Now that I think about it, one of its feet fell off too...



Gah, I'm just a Pokémon killer. xD.

That sorta depresses me...it made me think of pulling wings off baby birds, like in all those old Mark Twain books.
Is that even right? xD.
Okay...I'm going to stop ranting now.

Enjoy the rest of your day. :D

La danse- c'est macabre. [Or at least with my mad skills. xD]

Oh lord. School dance in a bit less than 2 weeks.
Maybe I can convince Zuko to go...it's always 50/50 with him though.
I bet he'd go if he could though.

So I'm going to be all girly and figure out what to wear weeks in advance. Hurray. :D
It's not a formal type of thing, it's more or less "A Night on the Town" themed...so perhaps I'll dress up more than normally.

I'm thinking like, either vintage or semi-Victorian.
Perhaps both.
I've been telling people I'm going to try and do like, a peacock-themed look though..
A few days ago I happened upon this blog, I think the name was Peacock Wedding [quite appropriately named], and got some ideas from there. Additionally, the hair fascinators from Pinc Stuff- worth your time, TRUST me- inspired me too.
So maybe I'll do some crazy make-up for the occasion too.

I do need a haircut, anyway.

But I digress.

[I know my school buddies will bug me about this post elsewhere, so I'm just going to end it here. Hahaha.]