It's Kind of a Funny Story

by Sarah

 

Craig Gilner, the main character and narrator of the book It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini, is a teenager living in New York City who has the obsessive desire to learn and get accepted into a school for young brainiacs. He studies for hours at a time, using anything he can to help him get accepted. Two of his friends, Nia (the girl he fancies) and Aaron (longtime friend and Nia’s boyfriend), also end up attending this school, yet they hardly put in any effort, unlike Craig, who spent a majority of his time in his room, slaving over his textbooks.

 

 

Upon starting the school year, he finds that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to do as well as he did before. His 93 average just isn’t cutting it for him anymore. He becomes depressed- more so than he was in the past. He also has a problem with keeping his food down; he hears voices that sound like military soldiers in his head, asking if he can do it, can he keep it down this time, or will he throw it all up again? More often than not, he loses the battle and spills his meal into the porcelain throne. Think odd habits or problems couldn’t go any further than this? Wrong. He also finds great relief from stress and life by...peeing. To each his own, yet it’s difficult to imagine this working on depression relief. His reasoning is that it’s simple, and he likes simple.

 

He sees a therapist (Dr. Minerva), who talks to him about his fears and feelings. Craig feels that if he can’t get a 98.6 average (which is also the normal body temperature) he won’t get into a good college, which would mean that he couldn’t get a good job, which will lead to not living a good lifestyle, and will finally end with becoming homeless. He has things he calls “anchors” and “tentacles.” His anchors are things that make him feel better, like biking, while his tentacles are “evil tasks that invade his life,” such as school. What he calls “The shift” is the change in his life that he’s been waiting for. The shift has yet to happen, so his depression doesn’t seem to be any better.

 

One night is particularly bad for Craig, and he contemplates suicide. Part of him is thinking about biking out to a bridge and then jumping off. It’d all be done with. The other, more logical part, of him finds a number for a suicide hotline and takes the advice of the lady on the other line. He then checks himself into the hospital within walking distance of where he lives. (This isn’t a spoiler, really. It’s toward the beginning and in Craig’s POV; therefore, it’s almost guaranteed that he won’t die this quickly into the story.) The nurses and doctors talk to him about what brought him there, and eventually, his Mom came in to see him as well. Craig agrees to be admitted to the mental hospital, thinking he’ll be there for a short time- short enough that he won’t miss any school. Not the case.

 

He finds that he’s now amongst some disturbed, yet quite interesting, people. There’s the transexual sex addict that tries to make a move on Craig, the Egyptian man who won’t leave his room, the girl who cut her face with scissors, & many other people that Craig more than likely wouldn’t have experienced their company otherwise. His life takes a new turn while admitted here, one that could be for the better or worse.

 

It’s Kind of a Funny Story is truly a funny story. While it does talk about serious topics like depression, self harming, suicide, and other mental illnesses, it does it in a way that doesn’t take your emotions down a black hole. You may find yourself laughing during parts of the book where they’re talking about such things that normally wouldn’t be quite as amusing. Craig’s dry humor and outlook on life makes it such an interesting, yet conflicting, read. You want to be sad for the characters (they’re in a mental hospital), but at the same time, you want to sit across the table from them, laughing and playing cards.

 

The author, Ned Vizzini, spent a short time in a mental hospital in 2004 for depression. He said this book took some inspiration from this experience in his life. The book has since received great reviews and a good following since it was published on April 1, 2006. Four years later, a movie based off the story was released. The movie starred Keir Gilchrist as Craig, Emma Roberts as Noelle (she comes along further in the story...scissor girl), and Zach Galifianakis as Bobby, just to name a few names.

 

On a personal scale, I would recommend this read to anyone with intelligence, empathy, and a nice sense of humor. However, make sure you have enough time to read large chunks at a time, due to its being fairly lengthy, yet incredibly interesting, to read. Your mind will more than likely want to absorb it all at once. Wouldn’t that be a funny story?

This Is Country Music

by Jessica

A few years ago, I don’t think I even realized country music existed. At least, I didn’t know anything beyond old, twangy, super backwoods country music existed. But then I discovered a genre of music called “new country,” which is basically general country with a bit of flair added to it. By that I mean, there can be less steel guitars and banjos and more electric guitars and bass. Country’s got a bit of spunk to it now, a little pop here, a little rock there. But when it all comes down to it, everything comes full circle to classic, full-blown, good hearted country music.

To sort of draw a dichotomy here between old and new country, I’ll tell you some names of singers from both categories. Old country deals with folks like George Strait, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Johnny Cash. On the other hand, some popular new country artists include such names as Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Blake Shelton. The two genres may sound different to your ears, but something they’ve both got in common is their ability to tell a story, and that’s what I love most about any country music.

When you listen to country music, the songs tell the tale of someone’s life, a hardship someone’s been through, or how one particular event of his or her life happened. In new country, what I usually listen to, a few songs that do this include: “We Danced” by Brad Paisley, “Two Black Cadillacs” by Carrie Underwood, “People Are Crazy” by Billy Currington, and “A Woman Like You” by Lee Brice. Of course there are others, but these are just some that really get their point across, and by the end of the song, you feel like you’ve read a really good book or watch a great movie and gotten a peek into this person’s life, whether they really exist or not.

Some artists tell their own stories through songs, like Miranda Lambert’s “House That Built Me,” which is about Miranda returning to her childhood home, where someone new now lives. She takes a stroll through the house that “built” her as a person, and she sees her old bedroom where she did her homework and learned to play guitar. She then sings of how she grew up there and that she won’t take anything except for a memory, as long as she can see the house one last time. Similar songs like these connect you with the artist and make the songs more meaningful. Lambert won CMA Song of the Year in 2012 for co-writing another song, “Over You,” with her husband and fellow country star, Blake Shelton, about the death of Shelton’s own brother, Richie. You’ve instantly formed a bond with both the artist and the song, and I think that’s fascinating and inspiring.

Artists have to get their inspiration from somewhere too! A lot of times, newer artist like to imitate older artists with whom they grew up and even mention them in their own songs. For example, Jason Aldean references Joe Diffie in his catchy tune, “1994,” Taylor Swift titles the first song on her very first CD “Tim McGraw,” and Kenny Chesney sings, “We had a dog named Bocephus living in the front yard,” in his song, “Keg in the Closet” (Bocephus is a nickname for Hank Williams, Jr.).

To add to this, certain songs might be inspired by other singers as well. Keith Urban even admits that his latest single, “A Little Bit of Everything,” was inspired by Madonna! One of her songs from 2001 called “Don’t Tell Me” has a little taste of country in it, with a good acoustic guitar part Urban liked, so he weaved a bit of that into his new hit! I guess it is true that what goes around, comes around!

But when it all comes down to it, who inspires who and how a song was formed isn’t what makes country music my favorite genre; honestly it’s what good people they truly are. No, country musicians aren’t excluded from lawsuits and jail time, but there seems to be less of those instances because these guys (and girls) have such great morals that they exhibit in their actions, as well as in their music. I thoroughly enjoy that the ladies can be classy at here and sassy there and that the guys can be timeless but also have a good time.

I had the opportunity to meet Hunter Hayes in 2012, and he was one of the most genuinely nice people I have ever met. He was kind to the audience, made us laugh between songs, and when I got to meet him, he gave me a hug and talked to me and seemed in no hurry to get out of there. His fans and music are the most important things to him, not the money he makes from them, and I think that’s a lovely theme throughout country music artists. Like Brad Paisley sings, “Just like a road that takes you home, yeah this is right where you belong...this is country music.”

The Mass Effect Trilogy

by Chris

 

 

Set almost two centuries in the future, Mass Effect is an epic saga played out on a galactic scale. In this fictional universe, humanity stumbles upon an ancient alien technology on Mars which allows them to travel across the universe in mere moments. Referred to as mass relays, this technology will introduce mankind to a vast and highly sophisticated alien community encompassing dozens of species across hundreds of planets.The hub of interaction between species is a massive deep space station called The Citadel, where the three dominant species - the Turians, Asari, and Salarian - sit on a council that dictates interplanetary affairs. (See below)



So where, exactly, does the player factor into all of this? Well basically, you’re humanity’s best hope. You play as Commander Shepard (comes as a female, too!), and you’ve just been become a Spectre, aka a super awesome space cop that answers only to the Citadel Council. Humans are the newest species on the Citadel, and as such, they’re basically disregarded by every other species. You’ll change that. Throughout your adventures, you’ll explore vast regions of the galaxy; experience dozens of alien cultures; and forge many, many personal connections that transcend special boundaries. Yet the first time you walk around the Citadel (pictured from the inside and outside above, inside view also includes the members of the Citadel Council) you’ll be sure to hear xenophobic slurs from various aliens as they drink at bars, party in clubs, or lie drunk in alleys. Now’s a good time to mention the M+ rating of all three games in the series! Mass Effect is no Star Wars; in between zipping from planet to planet in your spaceship and annihilating enemies with assault rifles and biotic attacks (innate superhuman abilities), you’ll resolve domestic disputes, get in fist fights, and walk into insane alien strip clubs. 

Wait, wait, wait, did he just say spaceship? Yes, actually I did. As a spectre, you get reign over your very own ship: the SSV Normandy, a seek vessel with hyper-advanced stealth technologies that allow you to land on hostile planets without being detected. You’ll need it, as your first task as Spectre is to catch a murderous Spectre named Saren.

 

Why, exactly, would someone so honorable and trustworthy as to be given Spectre status go rogue and massacre an entire colony of humans? Well, the answer to that question is loaded with spoils. The answer to that question involves trillions of years of galactic history. The answer to that question lies at the very heart of Mass Effect. You’ll simply have to play the games to find out. However, what I will say is this: you’re gonna need a lot more than guns and biotic abilities:

Music Series Part 1

by Kaylee

Call me Kaylee of the Tunemill because I could write about music for ten years and never get bored. Of course, while the subject never bores me, I do tire of that too conventional angle of “Here’s a band you’ve probably already heard of, let me tell you how great they are, go look at their songs, have a nice day.” And so, I am thinking of new ways to present my favorite topic because music is always changing, constantly moving and flowing. New artists appear, and groups put out new albums; every day there’s something bright and shiny and fresh for us to observe, so we should look at in as many ways as possible to appreciate the absolute majesty that is music and the people who create it. And while I could write about music for ten years, I know no one wants to read the same thing (with a few words swapped here and there) and that is why I have decided to tell a different story, or really, several stories.

Too often the human aspect of music is forgotten. We lose the emotion that is really put into music when it’s written and performed by the people who feel so strongly about something that they put their time into recording and gifting it to the public. Sometimes I forget these people, but concerts keep me humble and put me in my place. Before I go into a rant, let me say that live music is the reason I live. And while I always enjoy riding around in a car with the windows down and an overplayed pop tune blaring on the radio, there’s magic in seeing someone play music right in front of you that I cannot put into words.

I’ve been in huge crowds, shoving my way forward to get a better look at inexplicably arrogant and famous musicians that Twitter rumors cling to like lint on black jeans, and I’ve been in tiny underground restaurants under dim lights standing next to a man with an acoustic guitar who sings from the heart and who I don’t know by anything other than his first name. The feeling in both situations is potent, and it reminds us that music doesn’t just come out of the blue on any random day; it’s enough to remind us of the hands behind the instruments and the lips behind the vocals.

Take into thought the artist/bands you listen to. Sure, some will display their entire lives to the media in a way that simply cannot be ignored by the press and anyone who owns a TV (nudge, nudge, Taylor Swift dating a new man every two months or the recent whirlwind of the twerking terror that is Miley Cyrus), but maybe there are others, and you’re thinking, “Wow, what do they even look like? How old is (insert name here)?” or maybe you’re just like, “Who even plays guitar for (insert band here)?”.

Now, it’s not necessary to know every detail about every band you’ve ever heard, but sometimes the stories of the musicians can change the way you hear their songs. Maybe that ballad sounded particularly honest because his wife died in a car crash days before he wrote it. Maybe Johnny Cash’s cover of “Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails sounded not at all like a cover because he had felt that kind of pain before. (True story. If you haven’t seen Walk the Line, stop reading and watch it now.) I know people see songwriters and anyone the media loves as some sort of romanticized, angel-like creature who as far as you know resides on Mount Olympus, but really, who drew the line between “us” and “them” and who’s to say there should be a line at all? Let’s love our musicians as we love our neighbors; besides, they’re probably more present in your home, heart, and mind than old Mrs. Johnson down the street anyways.

Now that I’ve spoken my piece on that, I’d like to tell you a little about a certain man I respect and admire, who also just happens to be a songwriter, in what will be the first of a new “thing” here on Trendmill, this self-proclaimed article-series.

Upcoming Movies

by Kaylee

I was never really a movie person. I didn’t like sitting around and paying too much money to spend two hours of my life watching a movie I would ultimately be disappointed in, but then the most wonderful creation that is Netflix occurred, and suddenly, I found myself spending hours in front of the TV. I prefer funny or dramatic Indie films to romantic comedies and horror movies to anything with robots in it, but I am excited to tell you a bit about a few movies I’m looking forward to (or not looking forward) to seeing.

As customary to the Halloween season, there will be a “new” drama/horror movie, the third remake of the 1976 movie, Carrie. The original movie was based on a book by Stephen King about high school pariah Carrie White, a strange girl sheltered by her slightly insane and highly religious mother and harassed by her peers. One night she discovers that she has telekinetic abilities, and they get put to use after a prom prank goes terribly right and then so wrong.

The original has grown to be a cult movie classic and featured actress Sissy Spacek as Carrie. I loved her in this role. She was weird and pretty but still strange looking enough for it to be believable that she was picked on and bullied. She played the crazy-confused “Am I on my period or am I dying?” role very well.

The movie was remade in 2002 as a TV movie that I felt did the original and the story no justice at all, so I was happy when I found out they were making another version. And oh my goodness, Ansel Elgort is going to play the main lead (for anyone interested in the Fault in Our Stars, he’s set to act as Augustus in the movie, and this is his right of passage). Julianne Moore will play Margaret White, Carrie’s mother who seems to have fallen off her rocker long before the movie begins (I mean, she locks her daughter in a closet, come on). Julianne Moore scares me in the first place, so I feel like she’ll fit the role well.

My only issue with this whole deal, even if it’s a small issue, is the lovely Chloe Grace Moretz. She is beautiful; what high school boy in his right mind would ever bully someone as pretty as her? Seriously, does no one else see the issue here? Nevertheless, her
performance is believable, and I think she’ll do great. I’m excited to see this movie; it releases on October 18th, right on time for Halloween.

As for movies I am already disappointed in before I have even seen them, this week’s award goes to Runner Runner, featuring Justin Timberlake and Ben Affleck. The movie is about college student Richie Furst (Timberlake), who discovers the system behind an online poker game. However, Richie soon “goes bust,” loses everything, and meets the man behind the game, Ivan Block (Affleck). They get involved with one another, and their business soon turns corrupt, and it goes from there. 

Okay, I love Justin TImberlake and all, but I have seen him act, and I do not approve. The whole concept of the movie seemed awesome, and when I saw the trailer I automatically shouted, “OH MY GOD, WE HAVE TO GO SEE THAT,” but after looking at the reviews it has received (it got a 5.4/10 on IMDB and a 32/100 on Metascore), my enthusiasm dwindled, and now I’m not even sure I want to waste my time. It released on October 4th, and I’m not sad to say I will not be in that crowd when the credits roll.

 

Percy Jackson

by Jessica

In 2005, the first Percy Jackson book, The Lightning Thief, written by Rick Riordan, was published.  Four books followed in the series:  The Sea of Monsters (2006), The Titan's Curse (2007), The Battle of the Labyrinth (2008), and The Last Olympian (2009).  Begun as a bedtime story for his son, Riordan's story of Percy Jackson, a seemingly normal twelve-year-old boy who discovers that he is a demigod (a half god), son of a god of Olympus, has exploded into a worldwide phenomenon.

The first two books in the series were New York Times bestselling books, and these two titles (The Lightning Thief and The Sea of Monsters) are the ones most people are aware of.  Everyone knows these books because they have both been made into movies for the silver screen.  Percy Jackson & the Olympians:  The Lightning Thief was released in 2010 and follows Percy and his friends (a satyr and a daughter of Athena) around the United States on the search for the all-powerful bolt of Zeus and the Lightning Thief himself.

 

What has occurred most recently is the release of the highly anticipated second movie, Percy Jackson:  Sea of Monsters.  The movie opened in theaters on August 7, 2013.  In this film, Percy now lives at Camp Half-Blood.  He's training to be the best demigod he can be, but his schooling is interrupted when the safety barrier to the camp is disturbed.  An invisible protective wall surrounds the camp and keeps out any intruders who are not demigods.  It formed seven years prior with the death of a student, Thalia, who, when she got killed by an evil intruder, grew into a tree from which this barrier extends.

Fast-forward to the present, and during Percy's lunch with his newly recognized family member, a giant mechanical bull charges the camp, breaking the protective wall down for good.  Many students attempt to defeat the bull, but at last, it is Percy who saves the day and finds the bull's weakness.  To restore Thalia's tree, Percy and his friends set out on a quest to find the Golden Fleece, which they can use to heal her and fix the barrier.

 

I won't give away any more of the plot, but I can tell you that I was thoroughly entertained.  The first film is easily one of my favorite movies of all time, so my expectations were quite high when I walked into the theater.  It was funny, exciting, and interesting the whole way through.  I personally prefer the first one over this, but that might just be because it's the original, and I've seen it more often.  I still, however, very much loved Sea of Monsters, and if you're a fan of Percy Jackson or mythology, you're guaranteed to enjoy it as well!