Diane Birch once again creates a timeless classic of a timeless classic, taking on Tears For Fears 80's hit "Everybody Wants To Rule The World." Her latest album, Speak A Little Louder, is out now.
VIDEO: DIANE BIRCH COVERS TEARS FOR FEARS "EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD"
Diane Birch once again creates a timeless classic of a timeless classic, taking on Tears For Fears 80's hit "Everybody Wants To Rule The World." Her latest album, Speak A Little Louder, is out now.
Penny S. Cilpen's Birthday Is One For The Books: Deleted Scene
READ PART I of Penny S. Cilpen's Birthday Is One For The Books
READ PART III of "Penny S. Cilpen's Birthday Is One For The Books"
ALTERNATE JAKE CONVERSATION:
READ PART III of "Penny S. Cilpen's Birthday Is One For The Books"
ALTERNATE JAKE CONVERSATION:
“Jake you were going to forget my birthday this year, and I
feel like we are growing apart. I’m very sorry I tried to force you and Ally
and Gouda to surprise me. By the way, my favorite cake is tiramisu.”
“OH! That was it. I know it started with a T.”
“Jake I’m just a little confused. I thought you were going
to forget it was my birthday.”
“Why? I never forget, and I forget pretty much everything.”
“I just felt it coming on.”
“How?”
“It was like two weeks and I didn’t hear anything and…”
“So—you feared us forgetting your birthday?”
“Wow. Feared. I don’t know about feared.”
“You feared it.”
“I was afraid you guys were going to forget.”
“And what does that mean, us ‘forgetting?’”
“That for one, it’s not a priority, and two, you don’t really care as much as you could, and three, that we’re moving apart.”
“Hmm. And how are we moving apart?”
“Well, we’re growing up. You’re about to do some traveling, Gouda’s got his own business, Allison is going to grad…”
“Why? I never forget, and I forget pretty much everything.”
“I just felt it coming on.”
“How?”
“It was like two weeks and I didn’t hear anything and…”
“So—you feared us forgetting your birthday?”
“Wow. Feared. I don’t know about feared.”
“You feared it.”
“I was afraid you guys were going to forget.”
“And what does that mean, us ‘forgetting?’”
“That for one, it’s not a priority, and two, you don’t really care as much as you could, and three, that we’re moving apart.”
“Hmm. And how are we moving apart?”
“Well, we’re growing up. You’re about to do some traveling, Gouda’s got his own business, Allison is going to grad…”
“And how are you changing?”
“I got a new job.”
“I’m not a rocket scientist, but all the changes with us have been happening for a while. Your change happened this year—you’re changing more than all of us.”
“I got a new job.”
“I’m not a rocket scientist, but all the changes with us have been happening for a while. Your change happened this year—you’re changing more than all of us.”
“So, Rocko what are you saying? Are you saying this is my
fault?”
“I’m saying look at how you’re looking at it. That’s all.”
“I’m saying look at how you’re looking at it. That’s all.”
“Listen, I feel as though birthdays are special to me. And I
can’t convince you why. I’d just think you’d honor that and show me you respect
it. It’s like my thing.”
“Yeah, your thing. We all have different things.”
“Really, like what, what’s your thing? Like what’s your “thing” with me.”
“Really, like what, what’s your thing? Like what’s your “thing” with me.”
“Hmm—Well one of my things, here’s one. I hate when you walk
behind me.”
“That’s weird.”
“If I’m talking to you, you shouldn’t be walking behind me,
it’s disrespectful. We should be walking side by side.”
“What?”
“Yeah. I said it! And another thing that drives me up a wall is when I start opening up to you and then you get a call and you just “have” to take it. I feel like you have stomped on my ego.”
“Yeah. I said it! And another thing that drives me up a wall is when I start opening up to you and then you get a call and you just “have” to take it. I feel like you have stomped on my ego.”
“Whoa.”
“Yeah that’s my thing. Do you have a call?”
“My phones on silent Jake. Dang!”
“No that’s just my thing. Everyone has one.”
“So now knowing that, if I didn’t cater to your thing, how would you feel?”
“Well, you see Penny, it depends. I know I’m valid but I also know I’m biased. I can’t expect you to satisfy my feelings all the time, especially when that’s my issue.”
“My phones on silent Jake. Dang!”
“No that’s just my thing. Everyone has one.”
“So now knowing that, if I didn’t cater to your thing, how would you feel?”
“Well, you see Penny, it depends. I know I’m valid but I also know I’m biased. I can’t expect you to satisfy my feelings all the time, especially when that’s my issue.”
“So suppose I didn’t satisfy your feelings at all, like
showed a blatant disregard, would you feel…”
“Some type of way. To tell you the truth, yes, but again, Penny, it’s really all how you look at it.”
“Some type of way. To tell you the truth, yes, but again, Penny, it’s really all how you look at it.”
“For real, Jake, that’s bull. Perception is very tricky.
There’s a thin line between apathy and perceptive caring. There’s a point in
which someone does not respect your vulnerable areas to the point of neglect.”
“Yes, but there’s balance in everything. I’m not here to
stomp on your weakness, but I’m also not here to feed it.”
“So when you first heard of me wanting you to plan
something, was the want even valid to you?”
“I don’t count, Penny, but no, it wasn’t.”
“How could you say that?”
“Girls always ask me for my opinion and then when I give it to them…”
“Ok Jake, I’m going to breathe. I can take it on. Speak.”
“When’s the last time you celebrated your birthday?”
“Like 3 weeks ago.”
“Buzz. Wrong. When’s the last time you celebrated your birthday?”
“Is this a trick question? Three weeks ago. If you do not remember I can recall it for you. I called you and asked you…”
“Penny. Look at me.”
“What?”
“Are you looking at me?”
“I don’t count, Penny, but no, it wasn’t.”
“How could you say that?”
“Girls always ask me for my opinion and then when I give it to them…”
“Ok Jake, I’m going to breathe. I can take it on. Speak.”
“When’s the last time you celebrated your birthday?”
“Like 3 weeks ago.”
“Buzz. Wrong. When’s the last time you celebrated your birthday?”
“Is this a trick question? Three weeks ago. If you do not remember I can recall it for you. I called you and asked you…”
“Penny. Look at me.”
“What?”
“Are you looking at me?”
“Yes. Do you have your contacts on?”
“Look me in the eye and tell me when the last time you celebrated your birthday was.”
“The question, if I dare repeat it, is when…was the last time I celebrated my birthday. You mean me?”
“Yes.”
“You mean…”
“You actually celebrating your own birthday.”
“I celebrated it with other people.”
“What have you given yourself in the past 18 years?”
“Nothing.”
“There.”
“So?”
“You should try to give something to yourself. Stop looking at us. You want our love—you want our appreciation. Number one- we always have given that to you from the get, and always will, but number 2, it starts with you. And on the other hand, I just don’t understand birthdays. Birthdays are full of vanity. Everyone thinks they are the princess and the king on their birthday. Everyone bow down to me, kiss my mother-fricking crown.. The birthday-zilla. I don’t see you as that self-absorbed. That’s why I can’t understand why birthdays are your thing.”
“Look me in the eye and tell me when the last time you celebrated your birthday was.”
“The question, if I dare repeat it, is when…was the last time I celebrated my birthday. You mean me?”
“Yes.”
“You mean…”
“You actually celebrating your own birthday.”
“I celebrated it with other people.”
“What have you given yourself in the past 18 years?”
“Nothing.”
“There.”
“So?”
“You should try to give something to yourself. Stop looking at us. You want our love—you want our appreciation. Number one- we always have given that to you from the get, and always will, but number 2, it starts with you. And on the other hand, I just don’t understand birthdays. Birthdays are full of vanity. Everyone thinks they are the princess and the king on their birthday. Everyone bow down to me, kiss my mother-fricking crown.. The birthday-zilla. I don’t see you as that self-absorbed. That’s why I can’t understand why birthdays are your thing.”
“Wait a sec Jake. Hold up.”
“Go.”
“You went to Chucks birthday fiesta this summer, and not to
mention Tino’s toga birthday party last month. How are you telling me you think
it’s vain and you go?”
“Sidenote—Tino is a birthday zilla. He made all of us draw
straws to see who would serve him breakfast in bed because we lost a sports bet
to him, and I got the shortest straw, so I had to do it. And he was wearing a
crown the whole time.”
“Haha. So you cooked him breakfast?”
“No I ordered it, hid the packaging in my bookbag, put it on a tray and there you have it.”
“I thought you could cook!”
“I can but he likes his bacon a certain way, I was just like forget that mess. But anyway I have fun there, at the birthdays and stuff, but I know it’s vain. It’s like a movie to me. I really feel like life is a movie. And people love movies and try to recreate them. And I get it, but I see past it.”
“So this is a watery opinion you have.”
“Hear me out.
“Haha. So you cooked him breakfast?”
“No I ordered it, hid the packaging in my bookbag, put it on a tray and there you have it.”
“I thought you could cook!”
“I can but he likes his bacon a certain way, I was just like forget that mess. But anyway I have fun there, at the birthdays and stuff, but I know it’s vain. It’s like a movie to me. I really feel like life is a movie. And people love movies and try to recreate them. And I get it, but I see past it.”
“So this is a watery opinion you have.”
“Hear me out.
Everything you see about birthdays and galas of friends is media oriented. Tell me the last time you celebrated the birthday of
someone who never had a birthday. Or gave back? And when was the last time a
movie directed at teens with a birthday scene became famous for a “small get
together?” People put out images that they feel would be ideal to the general
public. It’s not exactly real.
Instead of looking without, consider lookin within. I say do
that for just one year, and see how people will flock to you to shower you with
love. The love you already have. The love you wouldn’t have to look for. In
addition to that, I just feel as though if you didn’t care so much about it, or
want it so much, it would find its way to you. Like something you have that you
never put a desperate energy to having that I want is the ability to meet
anyone I want. You, Penny, can just make a phone call and people just answer
you. I want to meet the ever gorgeous Pamela Anderson. That’s not just within
my reach. I want it so much, but it comes at ease to you. A part of it is also
because you’re not so attached to that.”
“It gets to the point in which it looks like I’m taking it for granted.”
“Well....”
“It gets to the point in which it looks like I’m taking it for granted.”
“Well....”
“Ok Jake, that’s all I can take.”
“Okay. I’m not pressuring you to not be you; I just wanted you to challenge yourself to look at it differently. I don’t like seeing you suffer. I don’t mean to sound like a pain in the ass.”
“Okay. I’m not pressuring you to not be you; I just wanted you to challenge yourself to look at it differently. I don’t like seeing you suffer. I don’t mean to sound like a pain in the ass.”
“Wait…”
“Sup?”
“I am very grateful for you. Thanks.”
“I didn’t do anything, but your welcome. Pizza tomorrow at 3?”
“Sup?”
“I am very grateful for you. Thanks.”
“I didn’t do anything, but your welcome. Pizza tomorrow at 3?”
“Wouldn’t miss it.”
“Me neither.”
--GB
“Me neither.”
--GB
VIDEO: MATEO PERFORMS "KEISHA" WITH LOOPS
Mateo creates another innovative video playing around with his song "Keisha" on a Boss Loop Station. The machine records and repeats a sequence of sound, and sequences can be added to create background to a tune.
Watch as he adds beats to the Loop Station, turns around and performs the tune effortlessly, and deletes parts of the loop at the end.--GB
5 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT FRESH RÉ
The name "Fresh Ré" means "The Next Generation;" it's a new epoch in time, and it is represented by the youth of it's members. But before taking a listen to these youngin's doing it big overseas, theres just five things you should know about them before they dominate the globe.
When I Was a Kid...
When I was a kid.. I never could color inside the lines. I really tried to color inside the lines because I wanted the picture to be perfect. I just don't know how my kindergarten teacher did it. She was a beast with her coloring. I mean, I could only get it close to perfect. I'm not sure why I could never get it 100%, but maybe it's because I just didn't fit in those lines.--GB
Welcome to Girl Blue Sees The Light--The Artists to Watch portion of this blog profiles those members of musical creatives who have drawn, colored, sketched, or operated outside the lines with their work. The "5 Things You Should Know" section schools you on those index cards, those factoids you need to know about an upcoming artist. The OTLC (Outside The Lines Crew) is an artsy way of delving into the background of an upcoming music artist, and shows reasons why you should, or will, listen.
These profiles are a recurring staple to the blog, so stay tuned for the best of what's next in 2014.
Welcome to Girl Blue Sees The Light--The Artists to Watch portion of this blog profiles those members of musical creatives who have drawn, colored, sketched, or operated outside the lines with their work. The "5 Things You Should Know" section schools you on those index cards, those factoids you need to know about an upcoming artist. The OTLC (Outside The Lines Crew) is an artsy way of delving into the background of an upcoming music artist, and shows reasons why you should, or will, listen.
These profiles are a recurring staple to the blog, so stay tuned for the best of what's next in 2014.
Penny S. Cilpen's Birthday Is One For The Books Part III
“Allison, I’m so sorry I treated you like crap. I’m so
sorry. My favorite cake is tiramisu! T-I-R-A-M-I-S-U!”
“Ok Penny. Ok. Stop whining.”
“I have an issue.”
“Ok Penny. Ok. Stop whining.”
“I have an issue.”
“About your birthday? I thought we discussed that.”
“Jake said he loved me.”
“WHAT?”
“Jake said he loved me.”
“How?”
“Allison, we were talking about birthdays and he’s like, “Yeah, we all care about you, GOUDA loves you, Ally loves you, I love you too.”
“Hmm interesting.”
“Jake said he loved me.”
“WHAT?”
“Jake said he loved me.”
“How?”
“Allison, we were talking about birthdays and he’s like, “Yeah, we all care about you, GOUDA loves you, Ally loves you, I love you too.”
“Hmm interesting.”
“What do you think he meant?”
“I think he means he loves you. What did you say?”
“Uh….”
“I think he means he loves you. What did you say?”
“Uh….”
“HAHAHA, congratulations Penny.”
“I really don’t think that’s how he meant....”
“I really don’t think that’s how he meant....”
“Or you could be
falling in love!!!!!!”
“God. Ally. God. Ally…..Ally. GOD. I gotta go.”
“Call me when you get the ring!”
“God. Ally. God. Ally…..Ally. GOD. I gotta go.”
“Call me when you get the ring!”
Jake called me the next Friday.
“I’m calling you! Hi Penny.”
“Ok what’s up Jake?”
“There’s some amateur comedy show slots at Ally’s college for next Friday. I think you should do it.”
“What? I don’t know how to be funny on command. You think you can just press a button and be funny? Like I have a button like that? Like it’s my belly button or something? Like it’s red?"
“Ok what’s up Jake?”
“There’s some amateur comedy show slots at Ally’s college for next Friday. I think you should do it.”
“What? I don’t know how to be funny on command. You think you can just press a button and be funny? Like I have a button like that? Like it’s my belly button or something? Like it’s red?"
“No. You have to do this. You’re life is friggin hilarious.
You need to get off some steam. And it will be fun.”
“’My-life-is-frig-ing hilarious.’ First of all, thank you dearly for your infamous tact. Your insulting love is appreciated, much so. But I don’t know Jake. I don’t know if I want the dook show that’s my life to be on display.”
“I think you’d feel a bit better about your birthday if you could laugh about it. If you win that’s $200 in your pocket, easy.”
“’My-life-is-frig-ing hilarious.’ First of all, thank you dearly for your infamous tact. Your insulting love is appreciated, much so. But I don’t know Jake. I don’t know if I want the dook show that’s my life to be on display.”
“I think you’d feel a bit better about your birthday if you could laugh about it. If you win that’s $200 in your pocket, easy.”
“You really think my plight is worth $200?”
“Your ‘plight’ is priceless.”
I paused. “I’ll think about it.”
I paused. “I’ll think about it.”
Ok so I decided to do it. I decided to make everyone feel
better about their lives by getting on stage and making other people laugh
about how screwed up my life was.
Gouda, Allison, Jake, Mom, Dad, little brother Skip, Hef,
and some friends from high school came to see me—ahem, laugh at me, and I was
really nervous. But before the show I tripped and everyone pointed an laughed,
and, needless to say, I warmed up to the feeling.
Comedy Bit
“She just turned 18 and is about to take on the world as the
next big entertainment journalist of our time. In her spare time, though she
loves hanging out with friends and cracking jokes with timely wit and sarcasm.
She loves Avril, Britney, Madonna, and all the pop greats, and thinks that O-Town
should have stuck it out for the long haul, presenting, Penny S. Cilpen!"
*Hoots and hollers, standing ovation
Wow guys, you don’t have to stand up. I didn’t say anything yet! Give it up for my friends, who convinced me to come up here and make fun of my life. Especially Jake, my best friend. Give it up for him! Big up his ego. Go ahead.
Who in here is part of the Class of 2003! Give it up for the
class of 2003 yall! Seriously, I know we are all just as happy as I am that I
made it through the hell that was high school. I gave my watch away after I
graduated. After counting down for so long, I no longer have a need to tell
time. Every time anyone from our class even hears the year 2003, we start
screaming. In the weirdest places too. Every time I see a calendar, it’s like,
“YES!”
“YES!”
Then I hear a voice
going, ‘Penny?’”
“I’m fine, MOM.”
2003 was a milestone, but so was my birthday a few weeks
ago. I’m 18 y’all. I’m legal but I’m not legal. I can drive but I can’t drink.
Hmm.
My birthday this year was one for the books. Let me try to
tell you what happened, and then I’ll laugh vicariously through you, while I
cry a little on the inside. Sound good?
So first off, I, gotta just say it, gotta spit it out. I can
be a brat. I can be a big brat. I’m a woman, and I’ll tell you what I want in
not so many words and have you guess the rest, anyone relate? Mom?
Sorry to call her out, she’s embarrassed, now. But that’s
why I called her out though.
This year what I wanted was a party. But instead of throwing
it myself, I tried to get my friends to throw me a surprise.
I don’t know if any of you guys know what surprise actually
means in the dictionary, but, in a real “surprise,” that’s not how it works.
So I tried to get Jake to throw me a surprise, and he’s a
man with no real sense of memory, so he didn’t know what I want. Maybe I should
just say, he’s a man, so he didn’t really know what I wanted.
Then he had my friend Allison call me and ask me what I
wanted and I flipped out. “How do you not know what I want, haven’t I been your
friend for like 18 years?” This is a conversation about cake, by the way. She
didn’t know what cake I wanted, and she kept asking me and asking me and she
didn’t get an answer, so they got me chocolate mousse.
I like tiramisu.
But I didn’t say that.
I’m a woman, hear me roar!!!!
So they took me out on my birthday, gave me a present and
everything. And I completely wasn’t satisfied. I seriously wanted some type of
Animal House mess to go on. I wanted people being thrown from the stairs, toilet
tissue and streamers in my backyard grass, red cups. Ok, maybe I’m
exaggerating. I just wanted a big bash in numbers. So what I did was, after
that bash, I tried to throw another one.
With the people from my internship.
Now I can say this because most of them at the end of the
summer won’t be continuing on with the company. And boo hoo to that.
So I called like 9 people (yeah I’m bad at planning), 5 said
no, ok we’re doing some math here, so that leaves 4 who said yes. 1 canceled at
3pm that day, one canceled at 8pm that day, one didn’t exactly cancel, but
flaked. She fell asleep, and that leaves one person.
Let’s rewind. Mathwise, that kinda means I should have just
spent the night in my jammies watching reruns of Drake and Josh. But I went out
knowing that two people were going to show up-- and I went.
Anyway, I got there, and I walk to the store, and some rando
guy, here’s the clincher. This is the thing, he didn’t exactly look homeless.
He didn’t smell, he was fat, short, and Teletubby pudgy, wearing a blue tee shirt, and he had a
mushroom hair cut. He said in his scrawny voice, “Got a quarter?”
I’m treading on thin ice, I know it.
He was really close. And hell, I was pissed off and I told
him I couldn’t help him, which really means please get away.
Then he’s like, “I’m sure you got a quarter in that bag of
yours!” And he hits my bag.
This may be the point where I run right?
But I said, “You don’t want to mess with me right now.” Grandeur, right?
But I said, “You don’t want to mess with me right now.” Grandeur, right?
He said, “What are you gonna do?” Edging closer and closer.
And then I did what any smart, sensible woman would do. I
screamed at the top of my lungs. But I really screamed at him, and I looked him
dead in the eye.
And then he backed off.
Thank you, thank you.
So that you would think is the worst part of what happened.
The worst part is what happened two days later, when the girl that fell asleep,
lets call her, Lay-Z-G, comes up to me and says, “You don’t have to treat us
like we all did something drastic to you, it was just a party. I fell asleep.”
You know how it is when you really want to do something, you
don’t fall asleep. Unless you’re a narcoleptic.
When can you not use this excuse?
Weddings. Especially when you’re the bride, groom, or
priest.
Births.
Live TV.
Court.
Your own concert.
The first day of your job.
Come to think of it, you can probably only use that excuse
for surgeries and funerals. I just don’t know about that fall asleep excuse.
Knock on wood I don’t do that tomorrow after saying that.
I said, “You don’t know what happened, I was there waiting
for you guys and a homeless person tried to attack me!”
Do you guys know what she said?
She said, “Wow, at first I felt so bad that I fell asleep and couldn’t make it, but now I just feel sorry for you.”
She said, “Wow, at first I felt so bad that I fell asleep and couldn’t make it, but now I just feel sorry for you.”
Burn.
I know.
So I did what any passive aggressive woman would do, I wrote
her a letter.
Let me take it out. But sike! I’m not going to read it, I’m
just going to show you that I wrote it, and that the contents could all be
summed up with one finger.
Whew.
If there was anything I learned this year, it’s that some
people you can’t make care. And others, you have to let them. And to the ones
that do, you have to care that they do. Also, that quality trumps quantity. And
yes my dog is more quality than some people in life. Shoutout to my dog Saucy,
wherever you happen to be in the house right now….don’t chew on that, and put
it down.
Anyway, my friends are in the audience. I don’t think
they’re heated at me anymore, right? Don’t hold it in! Ok.
My friends know that most of the time I like to relax and
chill when I’m not working, have dinners and do regular hum drum stuff. I could be considered by some to be an introvert.
This whole scenario is centered on me wanting to have a big bash. But really, it seems to be a pull between the introvert and
the extrovert. Introverts and extroverts have always been at odds with each
other. Like, this is a sample introvert vs. extrovert conversation at a party.
Introvert: Sitting on the stairs, drinking water.
Extrovert walks over. “Hey, Intro, what’s up. Are you ok?”
Introvert: "I’m fine, what’s up?"
Extrovert: "You’re not drinking, it’s like you’re not
enjoying the party. Excuse me: DJ turn the music UP! TURN! THE! MUSIC! UP!...Oh
yeah. OH YEAH.”
Introvert: "This is your song I suppose."
Extrovert: "This is my JAM! Ump Tah Ump Tah Ump Tah! You need
to enjoy the party more! Life Is short! Here, have a drink!"
Introvert: "That’s ok Extro, I’ma head downstairs and play some cards, where it’s chill."
Introvert: "That’s ok Extro, I’ma head downstairs and play some cards, where it’s chill."
Extrovert: "You’re such a party pooper. You can go home and
do that! Hey, I spy with my little eye! Someone wants to dance with you!!!!!!"
Introvert: "No, that’s ok…"
Extrovert: "You’ll never procreate and help the world like that! God said procreate! Come here Kennedy.”
Extrovert: "You’ll never procreate and help the world like that! God said procreate! Come here Kennedy.”
Introvert: "Oh no."
Kennedy: "Heeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyyy do I see a party pooper!?!?!?!?!?!
We gotta loosen you up!!!!" *Starts dancing uncontrollably*
Introvert: *walks away *
Extrovert and Kennedy: Weird!
So this next situation is more in the introvert’s element: a
music debate over dinner.
Introvert 1 “Yeah Natalie Merchant vs. Alanis Morissette.”
Introvert 2 “Natalie Merchant all the way. Her voice just gives you chills.”
Introvert 3: “There is NO way you can put Natalie Merchant
over Alanis Morissette. Talk about hits alone!”
Introvert 1: “They both did their thing. What do you think,
Extro?”
Extrovert: What? *wakes up…*
Extrovert: What? *wakes up…*
Introvert 1: Natalie Merchant vs. Alanis Morisette.”
Extrovert: "I like KISS. Is this like, a book club?"
Extrovert: "I like KISS. Is this like, a book club?"
Introvert 1: "What exactly do you mean by 'book club?'"
Extrovert: Oh crap. I got a text, it’s Eddie, he’s in
trouble. I’m so sorry I gotta… *runs away.*
Introverts 1: Did you sense something was off with Extro?
Introvert 2: Interesting.
Maybe a Kumbaya session would help.
Maybe a Kumbaya session would help.
Anyway, As you see I quote music a lot. Did I mention I love
my job? Did I mention where I work? I work for Magaman Music, and I am their
sole teen journalist contributor. My parent’s freaked out at the idea at first.
But I told them I have it in the bag, and that was after singing Nelly
Furtado’s “I’m Like A Bird” to them, and they couldn’t handle hearing the whole
thing, so they caved. I’ll take my chances. If anything my focus at being able
to meet famous people who otherwise would take a one in a million chance to
meet makes me a good candidate to play lotto. It’s a good start to all the
things I want to do. I get to interview them, I get to write about pop, which I
love, and I get to be around a bunch of industry cats who can eerily all carry
a tune pretty well themselves.
We need to get them all in a video and have them sing cover
songs. That’d be great, and then at the end of the video Kelly Clarkson can
offer them a record deal. I bet some of them can blow her out the water.
Lets make all musicians the record label heads and the
record label heads musicians. Madonna can be A&R!
It’s been fun, guys. Thanks, tip your waitress.
Penny won the comedy show contest prize, which was $200. She gave half the money away, and saved the other half. --GB
Did you enjoy this installment of Penny S. Cilpen? Want more? Hold on, there is a deleted conversation coming up next week.
Thanks for reading Penny S. Cilpen's Birthday Is One For The Books!--GB
NEW SONG: MARA HRUBY STINGS WITH "CRY ME A RIVER"
Mara Hruby
stings with "Cry Me A River," the first offering off of her next EP, Archaic
Rapture, due out March 18, 2014. Listen to her croon to her former lover,
telling the sap to cry a river, for as she sings, "I cried a river over
you."
Julie London's "Cry Me a River" track was the
inspiration behind Mara's rendition. As Mara shared with GBSTL on why she
chose Julie's music, "I felt the voice in her words just speak to me, and
I felt like I could tap into that sadness and feel ok because I know other
people could feel it as well."
Archaic Rapture is a project that took her two years to
create. She describes its significance with these words, "Archaic
Rapture is something that I once had that is no longer relevant... I really
wanted it to be a tribute to Julie London, a tribute to heartbreak, but also a
tribute to women that may fear showing their emotions and being open and
accepting of their pain."
The release is sure to hit hard on the heart. Stay
tuned.--GB
NEW VIDEO: NGAIIRE, "ABCD"
Ngaiire sticks to the basics in her video for "ABCD" off of her freshman album Lamentations. Trickling down the piano keys, her delivery is simple yet bold, and her gorgeous harmonies melt well together, creating a powerful ballad.--GB
NEW VIDEO: SID SRIRAM, "SAGETRON"
Sid Sriram’s new video for “Sagetron” is the exemplification of the power of nature’s beauty. From strong stones peaking through the water to sky high trees in forest land, to the majestic mountains and the landscape surrounding it, Sid tells his journey of the learning experiences of the ropes of life. The gripping production brags of striking upper octave piano keys and upscale arrangement; it’s the precursor to the album Insomniac Season: West Coast Nightfall Pt. II, scheduled for a release in 2014. Lyrics under the cut.--GB
Penny S. Cilpen's Birthday Is One For The Books Part II
READ PART I of Penny S. Cilpen's Birthday Is One For The Books
Before I really started Magamen Music in the fall, I had to come into the office three times a week in the summer, two full days and a half-day, to learn the ropes. I made friends with this really cool witty writer girl from San Francisco. Originally from NY, her writing was full of quips and giggles, and she was the ultimate peanut gallery for the office and all of its happenings. Her name was Gerrin.
Before I really started Magamen Music in the fall, I had to come into the office three times a week in the summer, two full days and a half-day, to learn the ropes. I made friends with this really cool witty writer girl from San Francisco. Originally from NY, her writing was full of quips and giggles, and she was the ultimate peanut gallery for the office and all of its happenings. Her name was Gerrin.
Gerrin and I were having a conversation about how my
birthday could have been better, and how I wanted to make it up to me, for
me—and what could I do to blow this 18th birthday out the water once more.
“Well, maybe you should have another party,” she suggested.
“Hmm, another party. I’m not big at planning the big stuff.
Who should I invite, everyone in the company?”
“Well, this is the thing that I’ve seen with the independent
group parties before. Let’s say it was a group dinner. Everyone orders what
they want and then when the bill comes, they split it evenly, and it becomes a
big issue sometimes with some of the interns who don’t have any….”
“Why don’t they just do separate bills then?”
“Maybe you should have a more intimate setting, pick a few
people that you would like to get to know more, and go out and do something
fun.”
“Like a focus group?”
“Like a focus group.”
“Like a focus group?”
“Like a focus group.”
“Maybe I’ll do that. You’d be there, right?”
“Of course I would!”
“Of course I would!”
So maybe this birthday isn’t such a bust after all.
I got some good responses, so I got ready to go ice-skating
that Friday.
Okay, when I mean good responses, I mean, semi-good
responses. 5/10. But I set out to go anyway.
It was four hours before I was set to go and I was getting
ready in my room. That is when I received this text—“Sorry Penny, I can’t make
it out tonight. Have fun.”
One down, 3 to go.
Then I got another text. “Penny, I’m so sorry, my cousin who
was supposed to drive me, her car broke down. I won’t be able to make it,
sorry.”
So now I got this horrible overcompensating feeling that I
shouldn’t go. But I didn’t listen to it. I thought, hey, if one person shows
up, then I guess that would be okay.
I get on the bus to go over to this place; it was on the
other side of town. When I got there, the next person cancelled over text. That
means I had one person left. Or two. Where’s Gerrin? I texted her and didn’t
hear anything from her at all.
At this point, I was a little apprehensive, so I called the
last woman standing, (we’ll dub her “the last Mohican…”) to see if she’d come.
“Hey Penny what’s up? I’m getting ready…”
“Problems Nikki, just problems.”
“Why what’s wrong?”
“Everyone cancelled on me but you.”
“Oh no. What the hell?”
“Yeah certain people like to cancel, really, at the last possible minute. They left no minute in front of them. Like, last possible minute.”
“Last minute. That sucks. Well, you still want me to come out?”
“Yeah definitely. I’m already out here, so…”
“Yeah certain people like to cancel, really, at the last possible minute. They left no minute in front of them. Like, last possible minute.”
“Last minute. That sucks. Well, you still want me to come out?”
“Yeah definitely. I’m already out here, so…”
“Ok I’m getting ready. I’ll text you when I get off the
freeway.”
“Great. Talk to you soon.”
“Ok.”
“Great. Talk to you soon.”
“Ok.”
I’m fighting back tears and am a little bit on edge. So I go
to the store at the corner to get myself a snack. As I was walking back, a
short pudgy guy with black hair (don’t know what was more round, his bald
shaped head or his tummy), comes up behind me and says in a scruffy voice, “Got
a quarter?”
“Sorry, dude. No luck.”
“I know you got a quarter in that big bag of yours.” As he
says “big bag,” he hits it with his hand.
“You don’t want to start with me right now dude. Now is not
the time dude.”
“Why, what are you going to do?” He edges closer. “Huh?
Little girl, what are you going to do? You think you’re the boss of me?”
So, I looked him straight in the eye and opened my mouth and
screamed at the very top of my lungs.
He received it, was taken aback, and started walking
backward. He bumped into two people as he was walking backward, and he turned
around and ran away.
I then got a text from Nikki who asked me if I was sure I still
wanted to go. Uh, you’re en route right? Are you sure you want to come, or are
you trying to get the go to turn back? Is how I took that one.
I wrote back, “YES. Get here.”
She got there a few minutes later, and I had a complete
horrible time. I fought to be happy while drinking a milkshake, and we fake
twirled to the sounds of Black Eyed Peas "Where Is The Love" song.
I stood there sipping along the lines of an ongoing birthday
party, not noticing how much of a stalker I was for the experience. The
“prince” of the party, the birthday girls boyfriend, came up to me and said,
“I’m not sure exactly who invited you, but your in our party and your in my
girls' eyesight, and….you’re just gonna have to move.”
I retorted, “Is this better?” and moved a little closer to
the middle of things, before smiling at him and turning around, but not before
he slipped his foot in his mouth.
“Wait!”
“You told me to leave. What do you need?”
He slipped a piece of paper in my pocket.
“Call me,” he mouthed with his hand to his ear.
“You told me to leave. What do you need?”
He slipped a piece of paper in my pocket.
“Call me,” he mouthed with his hand to his ear.
“Are. You. F--….”
“Penny!” Nikki grabbed my arm. “Lets go.”
Call me dumb, because my last name is founded.
So my big bash turned out to be me and Nikki, someone I
really didn’t know well at all. And needless to say, we tried.
I told Nikki what happened with that quarter guy, and the
dude that tried to cheat on his girl at her birthday party, and how I felt
about my little internish pals leaving me as food to the wolves out here, but I
couldn’t open up to her the way I felt I needed to. I got home and dreaded
going to work after the weekend was over.
It was Thursday, and yeah I went to work on Monday. Didn’t
really want to talk about it. Tuesday was another day I didn’t want to talk
about it. People who canceled on me were trying to talk to me, and I wasn’t
having it. Until Gerrin came up to me and said something that opened up a
wound.
Well the first thing she tried to do was apologize, and I
wouldn’t let her.
“Penny, Penny, Penny, wait up!”
Silence.
Silence.
“Penny, I just want to apologize for what happened Thursday night, I was asleep.”
“Gerrin, I am sorry, that is not an adequate excuse for me.”
“I’m sorry—I was exhausted, I closed my eyes and before I
knew it, it was 1AM.”
“Gerrin, if you wanted to show up, you would have made it, or at least told me you couldn’t have come.”
“Well, Penny, I want to let you know that doesn’t always make sense. And you can’t just expect me or anyone else to go by all the rules you go by.”
“Gerrin, if you wanted to show up, you would have made it, or at least told me you couldn’t have come.”
“Well, Penny, I want to let you know that doesn’t always make sense. And you can’t just expect me or anyone else to go by all the rules you go by.”
“Wow so I guess everyone’s alternate lifestyles have come to
smack me in the face today. Thank you, Gerrin.” I walked away.
It’s been two days, and Gerrin has followed me like a spy,
trying to see if there was an in. Would I look at her sideways? Would I catch
her at the copy machines? Send energy her way? Bump into each other at lunch
breaks? Would I have to inadvertently address her at a meeting? Two days later,
Gerrin couldn’t take it anymore, which was funny, cuz I could have done it for
a longer time than that.
Gerrin walked up to me and said,
“You know, you don’t have to go around trying to make all of us feel bad for what we did to you. It was a mistake, and you act like I killed your dog or something. Things happen, I fell asleep.”
“You know, you don’t have to go around trying to make all of us feel bad for what we did to you. It was a mistake, and you act like I killed your dog or something. Things happen, I fell asleep.”
“If you wanted to go, you would have woke up and you would
have went.”
“I don’t know why you are so wrapped up in it. I’m still not
sure what I actually did to you.”
“You weren’t there, I was waiting around for forever and
some drunk pseudo-waif tried to attack me.”
“Well. Wow, you know, at first I felt so sorry that I didn’t go, but now, just hearing that, I feel sorry for you.”
“Well. Wow, you know, at first I felt so sorry that I didn’t go, but now, just hearing that, I feel sorry for you.”
“You know what Gerrin?”
“No, you know what, sweetie? You may want to consider that other human beings have more important things to do than to go to your birthday. I’m seriously not thinking about your birthday as much as I am thinking about that stack of mail that isn’t done sitting on the office table, or that I have a presentation due at noon. Maybe you need to realize that the only person that cares about your small birthday bash, is you.”
“No, you know what, sweetie? You may want to consider that other human beings have more important things to do than to go to your birthday. I’m seriously not thinking about your birthday as much as I am thinking about that stack of mail that isn’t done sitting on the office table, or that I have a presentation due at noon. Maybe you need to realize that the only person that cares about your small birthday bash, is you.”
Wow.
Before I had a chance to answer, my boss Ronald came in, a bit jolly.
“Penny, nice work on that 10 Pop Artists That Will Change The World”
presentation. Sometimes I wonder, how do
you find these people?
Me, you and Gerrin need to have lunch to manage those
artists on our pages, pronto. How’s today at 1? We’ll have some chicken soup!”
Gerrin said, “I’d love to see you at lunch, Penny.”
I gathered my folders and said, “Ok Gerrin, I’ll set your
alarm clock for you.” And walked away.
Needless to say she’s no longer a friend in my head.
I called Hef when I got home from work to see what was going
on with him, and he invited me out for some pizza because his friend owns a store.
“So your birthday was a week ago and you didn’t invite me to it?”
“So your birthday was a week ago and you didn’t invite me to it?”
“Sorry Hef, I didn’t plan it. And the second one I just
invited work ppl.”
“I don’t know Penny, it seems like you’re looking for
something, what are you looking for?”
“Hef, what would make you want to go to someone’s birthday party? I mean, you had one up in Cabo, like 12 people went. What do you think made them want to go?”
“We’ll first off, I’m amazing? Secondly, you counted? I really don’t know, Penny. For me I think one thing is how well you know the person, and another part of it is who else is going. Will you have fun with the other people that are going—Is that your type of people? Where is it at? It its something that all of the people invited enjoy doing on a regular basis—And then, about the birthday person themselves.”
“Hef, what would make you want to go to someone’s birthday party? I mean, you had one up in Cabo, like 12 people went. What do you think made them want to go?”
“We’ll first off, I’m amazing? Secondly, you counted? I really don’t know, Penny. For me I think one thing is how well you know the person, and another part of it is who else is going. Will you have fun with the other people that are going—Is that your type of people? Where is it at? It its something that all of the people invited enjoy doing on a regular basis—And then, about the birthday person themselves.”
“First off, I didn’t consider that.”
“Well, with the work thing, what is it that you wanted?”
“I think I just wanted a big bash were a bunch of people were there celebrating, and my friends want some intimate crap. We have our whole lives to be intimate.”
“No not really, in my opinion, first off, people grow apart, you don’t know if you’ll have the same friends in your teens that you do in your twenties, and so on. Secondly, these bunch of people, like, where did you see this that you wanted it?”
“I don’t know, I saw you do it, you went to Cabo, I see people have big bashes all the time.”
“With 100 of their closest friends right?”
“Ok Hef, I get it, there’s no such thing as '100 closest friends.' How do I know my friends actually care about my birthday though?”
“Well, with the work thing, what is it that you wanted?”
“I think I just wanted a big bash were a bunch of people were there celebrating, and my friends want some intimate crap. We have our whole lives to be intimate.”
“No not really, in my opinion, first off, people grow apart, you don’t know if you’ll have the same friends in your teens that you do in your twenties, and so on. Secondly, these bunch of people, like, where did you see this that you wanted it?”
“I don’t know, I saw you do it, you went to Cabo, I see people have big bashes all the time.”
“With 100 of their closest friends right?”
“Ok Hef, I get it, there’s no such thing as '100 closest friends.' How do I know my friends actually care about my birthday though?”
“You mean, do they care about you. And they do, but your
birthday may not be on their forefront.”
“Everyone has their own views on what friendship is. To me,
my birthday is one of the things that is very important to me. MY 18th!!!! It
should be something to remember.”
“Depending on who you compare yourself to. Like your friends. They work. When I see them, I see work, not party. They do party, but not with you. So expecting them to have a party with you is kind of off. Maybe you’re just not their party friend.”
“Dang, Hef! So lets have a friggin book club how bout that?!?!
“Depending on who you compare yourself to. Like your friends. They work. When I see them, I see work, not party. They do party, but not with you. So expecting them to have a party with you is kind of off. Maybe you’re just not their party friend.”
“Dang, Hef! So lets have a friggin book club how bout that?!?!
“HAHAHA. I’d go. I’ve never exactly seen you as a complete
extrovert anyway.”
“What? I’m so extrovert I am completely out there, Hef, ok?”
Hef laughs.
“I kind of get it. I did find myself comparing myself to
other people—but does that mean my friends still care about me though? They
were going to forget.”
“Maybe you fear your moving apart- and if that’s what you
feel, address that.”
It's Friday afternoon, and I called Jake. It rang 5 times and then I heard someone pick
up, but there was silence.
So I shouted “JAKE!!!!”
Jake was taken aback. “Wow, Ok.”
“Jake tell me the truth.”
“Yes Penny.”
“Do you like me?”
“Is this a yes or no question?”
“Are we friends. Like really. Are we friends?”
“Yes. I think so. Last time I checked. Why?”
“Jake, answer my question first and then we’ll address that. Am I your read a book friend, the boring friend? Am I the friend for the coffee shop, am I the anti-club friend? Do I wear glasses in your eyes? Should I be a librarian? Like, when you see me, do you see anything but party? Am I in the corner, loning it out with a bagel and some chai tea? Like, …”
“Excuse me sir, can you move one seat over, you’re blocking the solar light to my Mac!”
“No joke, though. I need to hear the truth from you, I’m outside.”
“What? I’m in my…nevermind. I’m coming down in a minute.”
“Yes Penny.”
“Do you like me?”
“Is this a yes or no question?”
“Are we friends. Like really. Are we friends?”
“Yes. I think so. Last time I checked. Why?”
“Jake, answer my question first and then we’ll address that. Am I your read a book friend, the boring friend? Am I the friend for the coffee shop, am I the anti-club friend? Do I wear glasses in your eyes? Should I be a librarian? Like, when you see me, do you see anything but party? Am I in the corner, loning it out with a bagel and some chai tea? Like, …”
“Excuse me sir, can you move one seat over, you’re blocking the solar light to my Mac!”
“No joke, though. I need to hear the truth from you, I’m outside.”
“What? I’m in my…nevermind. I’m coming down in a minute.”
Jake opens the door and I’m standing outside on a cloudy
day, it’s two seconds from raining.
“Come in.”
“Jake, I’m having a big issue.” I plop down on the couch. “I
don’t know what type of friend I am to you.”
“You’re my friend. My best friend. And no, I’m not going to
go to a rave with you. No EDC. I’m also not going to sit and read books with
you. You’re not boring.”
“So why when I ask for a bash it’s like alien to everyone? Why is that alien, that I could have a bash!”
“So why when I ask for a bash it’s like alien to everyone? Why is that alien, that I could have a bash!”
“Well first off, you’ve never had one before. Secondly, you
bash people who have bashes on a regular basis, how they don’t really have that
many real friends, and you don’t drink, you don’t smoke, you do pretty much
everything you are supposed to do. And you play it real safe. You don’t really
like being around people who really party much.”
“Oh. But I want to have fun too Jake, I want to party too
Jake.”
“Yeah but you’re not 21, yet. It’s …just not the same.”
“Yeah but you’re not 21, yet. It’s …just not the same.”
“So how am I fun at all?”
“You’re hilarious. Everything you say is a one-liner. You
mentally keep me on my toes. I like talking to you. You make me think. Ever
since we were younger we would dream together. I don’t do that with other people
much at all.” He pauses. “I have different friends for different things. I
could take you to a real party, but you might not like it. Besides, that’s not
exactly what I love doing either. But if that’s what you want to do.”
“I want to be fun.”
“You are fun.”
“I want to be fun.”
“You are fun.”
“Jake you were going to forget my birthday this year, and I
feel like we are growing apart. I’m very sorry I tried to force you and Ally
and Gouda to surprise me. By the way, my favorite cake is tiramisu.”
“OH! That was it. I know it started with a T.”
“Oh my god, you may be getting alopecia.”
“WHAT?”
“Nothing. Inside joke.”
“I get what your saying. I’m busy. Gouda’s getting money. Ally’s going to grad. We’re growing up.”
“WHAT?”
“Nothing. Inside joke.”
“I get what your saying. I’m busy. Gouda’s getting money. Ally’s going to grad. We’re growing up.”
“It’s scary. I don’t know when I will see you guys next. I
know you’re around, but Ally and Gouda, I don’t know. I also felt like because
you didn’t honor my birthday the way I wanted you to that you didn’t care about
me.”
“I do think we needed a reminder. But not to care about just you. To care about us. But you too. You needed a reminder too. You’re busy too. That was a good sideways effort though to get us together.”
“I do think we needed a reminder. But not to care about just you. To care about us. But you too. You needed a reminder too. You’re busy too. That was a good sideways effort though to get us together.”
“Supposing you guys did forget my birthday. Then what?”
“What? Impossible--no one puts Baby in the corner.”
“What? Impossible--no one puts Baby in the corner.”
“Wow, how sweet.”
“No really. Besides, we’re not like that. We all love you.”
“What?”
“Gouda loves you, Allison loves you, and I love you too.”
“Gouda loves you, Allison loves you, and I love you too.”
“And,” he continued,
“If it took your birthday to get us together like we used to rock, then maybe
all that crazy stuff that happened to you was a blessing in disguise.”
“You don’t know what happened though. Some man who asked me for a quarter almost tried to attack me.”
“You don’t know what happened though. Some man who asked me for a quarter almost tried to attack me.”
“Ah so he didn’t succeed then I guess.” Jake pokes me in the
shoulder.
“Well, no.”
“Did you kick him?”
“No.”
“Aw, next time I'll gladly take that job. Penny, you’re allowed to kick people trying to attack you in self defense you know.”
“HAHAHA Jake, I wish you were there. It was horrible…” but as I started to repeat the story, I stopped.
“Well, no.”
“Did you kick him?”
“No.”
“Aw, next time I'll gladly take that job. Penny, you’re allowed to kick people trying to attack you in self defense you know.”
“HAHAHA Jake, I wish you were there. It was horrible…” but as I started to repeat the story, I stopped.
“Let me see that movie you’ve been working on.”
Stay tuned for the last installment of "Penny S. Cilpen's Birthday Is One For The Books," on February 15 at 11:59 PM Eastern.--GB
READ PART III of "Penny S. Cilpen's Birthday Is One For The Books"
Stay tuned for the last installment of "Penny S. Cilpen's Birthday Is One For The Books," on February 15 at 11:59 PM Eastern.--GB
READ PART III of "Penny S. Cilpen's Birthday Is One For The Books"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)