Post 7: A Line has Been Crossed (12/16/13)

*Words bolded are links*
For some reason it seems like holidays alway bring even more drama into the One Direction fandom. Last year in December was when Harry Styles first started to date Taylor Swift. Now this year as the holidays are near, Harry has been linked with Kendall Jenner and Niall has recently been linked with Barbara Palvin.

One thing that's annoying about being in a big fandom, is that no one ever seems to be calm. Don't get me wrong, that has an upside because almost anytime I'm with a Directioner, it's a blast, but it also has its downsides. It'a like Directioners have a maternal instinct towards the boys. Whenever someone or something threatens to hurt their babies, they go wild. 

It's not clear if Harry is with Kendall or if Niall is with Barbara. The media, as always, has conflicting articles and I can't find a source I trust. For things like this, I usually wait for for the One Direction Twitter account or the boy himself to confirm or deny whatever rumors happen to go around.  Since neither relationship has been confirmed yet, I figure it's pretty safe for now.

Here's what's unsettling to me. Even though nothing has been confirmed, I have noticed that people are very quick to hate. I understand that no one wants the boys to be hurt, but is it really necessary to hate on the girls, especially with the strong possibility that they might only be friends with Niall and Harry?

This isn't even the first time this has happened and it certainly won't be the last. Sophia Smith, Liam's girlfriend, is no stranger to hate, and there have been times where Liam has had to post on Twitter saying that enough was enough. Sometimes these posts are mean and offensive to the fans, but people need to remember that Liam is only normal, and if you cross a line, sometimes it's hard to stay in control. Similar things have happened with Louis when his girlfriend Eleanor Calder gets hate. And of course, Perrie Edwards, Zayn's fiance has gotten her fair share of hate especially after they announced their engagement. It's basically a non stop chain of hate, and it's not only in this fandom.

Here's what really sparked the idea for the post. Over the weekend, while scrolling through Twitter, I came across a series of tweets from Liam's older sister, Ruth.

 

Read from bottom to top

Read from bottom to top

 

These Tweets really upset me. I don't exactly know what happened but from what Ruth said, I can basically assume that people said mean things to her and it finally got enough. This probably a really hard position to be in for Ruth as well as One Direction's other family members and friends. The family members and friends are really understanding when it comes to fans. They know how much we love the boys and they understand that without the fans the boys would be no where.

The line has to end somewhere though. If a fan oversteps a boundary, it upsets me, because yes, sometimes it's hard to see one of the family members, friends, and even members of One Direction, blow up after the hate got to be too much, but fans also have to respect the little privacy these people do get. Overall, this blog post isn't going to change anything because this hate is a form of bullying in its own right, and bullying is still an issue. However, it is important to realize that no matter how silly it may seem to write a post like this, one voice can turn into many, and if this silly post can inspire one person to hold down the backspace key the next time they're about to send hate to someone online, then I consider it a post well written.

 

Post 6: Introducing the Members (First one Direction related post) (12/12/13)

Since a lot of my journalism classmates are going to be viewing my blog, I only find it fair to introduce the members of one Direction. While many people know who One Direction are, I know a lot of people probably don't know their names or the difference between them.

Louis Tomlinson

• Hometown: Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England
• Age: 21
• Birthday: December 24th 
• Fun Fact: Louis's birth name is Louis Troy Austin. His mother officially changed it when he was very young after her divorce. She wanted him to have the same last as the rest of his later siblings when she got remarried. 

Zayn Malik

• Hometown: Bradford, West Yorkshire, England
• Age: 20
• Birthday: January 12th
• Fun Fact: Zayn's real name is spelled "Zain" but he legally changed it before he auditioned for the X-Factor because he thought it was more unique.

Liam Payne

• Hometown: Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England
• Age: 20
• Birthday: August 29th
• Fun Fact: Liam was born without a functioning kidney, but years later he found out it was functioning again. he shared this news with his fans via Twitter.

Niall Horan

• Hometown: Mullingar, County Westmeath, Republic of Ireland
• Age:20
• Birthday: September 13th
• Fun Fact: There are many things that make Niall unique compared to his bandmates. He's the only Irish member, he's the only left handed member, and he's the only member without any sisters.

Harry Styles

• Hometown: Holmes Chapel, Chesire, England
• Age: 19
• Birthday: February 1st
• Fun Fact: Harry dated Taylor Swift in December 2012. They broke up about two months later. When she was opening for the Grammys she mocked him during here song, "We Are Never Getting Back Together." (video here).

*Words bolded (besides the members' names) are links*

Post 5: Newsies Review (12/09/13)

So as I mentioned before, this is now turning into a daily blog for my journalism class. It's going to be a One Direction theme, but before my blog becomes full blown Directioner word vomit, I need to do something else.

In journalism we recently watched Newsies, a musical about newsies from New York around the year 1899. I was actually very excited about this, seeing that I'm a bit of a Broadway novice and love seeing Broadway shows. This is one I wanted to see for a while. 

Overall, I like musicals, but of course there are a few things that I have problems with musicals in general. Even though I'm a huge fan of fiction, I find it so hard to take musicals seriously when the characters spontaneously bust out into synchronized song and dance. It's especially hard with musicals like West Side Story where the characters are supposed to be tough gang members and they're sashaying and doing pirouettes across the stage.

As for Newsies, I loved it. I thought the plot was enough to keep the viewer engrossed in it the entire time, but my opinion might be swayed because we watched the movie in forty minute increments over a few days in journalism. However, I still feel like the newsies would be enough to keep me in my seat for the entire movie. Maybe it's just because young Christian Bale makes me swoon, David is adorable, and characters like Crutchy and Les make you want to go into the movie and give them hugs.

I think there's definitely a plus to watching a movie in class with a bunch of other crazy people who laugh at the wrong times and yell out things at the screen at the best times. And of course, there's the joke of "Doing if for Brooklyn" that we've dragged out for the past week in class and even on Twitter (a few of us sent Brooklyn related tweets to the official Newsies account. We have yet to get replies). So overall, I loved this musical. So let's hear it for... 

Post 4: Introducing Innovation (12/04/13)

This blog is actually going through the change. To the zero people who read this, you must have realized that I no longer post. I guess I kind of lost interest in it, but I'm taking it up again.

I kind of don't have a choice. I'm taking a journalism class in school and our teacher is making us create a blog. I suggested using Blogger, partly because it's a blogging site that we can actually use in school, but mainly because I'm too lazy to learn a whole new blogging site and make a whole new blog template. I'm still experiencing technical difficulties with this site, which is why my blog is in such a chaotic state.

So I'm wrapping this post up, partly because I have nothing more to say, but partly because I'm writing this in Spanish class and the bell is going to ring in four minutes. Blogging during class: the definition of a Senior, everyone.

Post 3: Inspecting Idols (8/29/13)

Post 3 

Inspecting Idols 

8/29/13 

 It annoys me when people pick on other people's idols. The person obviously has some crazy effect on this kid or teenager or adult so just let them be. Now I'm not saying I'm perfect and don't do this but as far as I know, if I have done it, I haven't meant it. For example, I may not be the biggest fan of Justin Bieber or his music but I've never gone to a Belieber and said, "Hey, guess what? Justin Bieber is a sissy little girl and I hate him." Now that's also an example so don't go spreading through the grape vine that I said that or something. I bring this all up because today is one of my biggest idol's birthday and I couldn't imagine anyone insulting him to my face. It just seems like such a rude thing to do. Now, my idol shall remain nameless, but I'm sure that I'm going to end up giving clues that will reveal his identity to some of you. Maybe you already know who it is just by knowing that his birthday is today, and if you do, then I like you; let's be friends. I have so much in common with this boy (well maybe man. I don't even know what to call him anymore) and I feel like it just makes me love him more. I was born three months early and weighed two pounds. My family has described me as having the width of a loaf of wonder bread, the length of a stick of deodorant and the weight of one of those miniature pumpkins you buy around Halloween time to decorate your room or office or something. Great baby. My idol was three weeks early and he had many more problems than I did. I may have the eyes of an elderly woman, the lungs of someone who just ran a mile and the height of the average twelve year old but other than that, I'm here aren't I? He, on the other hand, was born with only one functioning kidney and had to get a bunch of injections in his arms daily. He was bullied as a kid and ended up taking up boxing. I take kickboxing but 85% of you can probably still beat me up. Just make something bleed and I will be on the floor in a ball faster than Harry Styles's and Taylor Swift's relationship was over. Okay, probably faster than that, but you have to commend me for at least trying to be funny. For his sixteenth birthday no one showed up. My heart breaks for him every time I hear this. If only they saw him now. For my sixteenth birthday I wasn't about a huge party. My one friend had one that was an imitation of a small wedding. She even wore a wedding dress. I just went to the city in a limo with a few of my friends and family members and we saw Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. I'm just cool like that. This boy was also reject 22 times. I'm sorry. You could be the grossest person in the world and I don't think I would have the heart to reject someone 22 times. Well, apparently neither did she because she finally went out with him and dumped him the day after. Hope you regret it now. I admire him for getting up each time and not giving up. I've been rejected multiple times... Actually, I haven't ever been formally rejected. It's just that after a while they probably find out I like them because I'm not the most subtle person in the world. Then they back off with reactions that are probably similar to those worn by the poor innocent audience at the VMAs who had to witness Miley and Robin's little onstage spectacle. Well, my idol got through it didn't he? He did. I should probably tie a little moral into this and make it like a boring version of Aesop's fables for more experienced people. Basically, what I'm trying to get across, as cheesy as this may sound, is that no matter what is thrown at you, it's never something you can't handle. With the right people surrounding you, anything is possible to overcome. My idol made his dream come true and any of you can too. That's why when I feel like anything I do is pointless and I feel as if I will never accomplish anything in my life, I just take a deep breath and realize that I have my whole life ahead of me and this is just the beginning. There will be many more hardships to come, but that's what life is. 

 “A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.” ― George Bernard Shaw

Post 2: Parental Problems (8/28/13)

Parental Problems
Post 2
8/28/13

I love my parents, don't get me wrong. I mean, without them I wouldn't even be alive obviously. But sometimes it's so hard to believe that your parents were even teenagers at one point. You figure "Oh, they went through this once. They'll understand where I'm coming from." But no. Parents never seem to understand where you're coming from. That's why this post is going to be a bit of a rant about the misunderstandings between teenagers and parents. My mom has been a little angry at me lately because I went to the movies last night, I'm going to the movies on Friday (I've been waiting for months. I have pre-ordered tickets), I want to go back to school shopping and I want to go to Madame Tussaud's wax museum because there are a few figures that are only going to be where I live for a limited time and I want to see them before they leave. I guess I understand that I have been spending a lot of money lately, but weren't you bugging me to get off the computer and have a social life? Then when I have a social life you yell at me. Then I was trying to search for options that cost no money. My friend had mentioned there was a free Owl City concert at the shopping outlets close to where I live and I figure my mom would be okay with that because it's free. Of course she started yelling about how I still have to pay for food and she has to drive me and I don't appreciate her because I always want to leave the house. Woah woah woah. Where did that come from? That was a low blow. I understand but don't tell me to get a social life and then get upset when I actually have one. Lately I kind of have been wanting a belly button ring. Don't ask me why. It's probably just a phase but I kind of want one. You need to be 18 to get one without parental consent and as I'm not 18, I decided to go out on a limb and ask my parents. No is an understatement. My mom immediately asked which celebrity or which one of my friends influenced me to get one as if I'm a regular subject to peer pressure or something. Mom, you should know by now that I don't care about what other people wear and look like. I wear socks with anchors on them for goodness sakes. My dad on the other hand probably reacted worse by saying "You need a flat stomach for that." and when I replied that it is indeed pretty flat he shot back "Your ass is flat." Well thanks for the support, Dad. I guess that's a no go. Now don't take this post the wrong way. I'm very appreciative of my parents and I'm very thankful for everything they've done for me. However no matter how much you love someone there are bound to be fights and of course the fights in my household are plentiful. When it comes down to it, I love my parents but it's hard for me to believe that they were teenagers at once. Maybe all the hair dye seeped into their brain or their jeans were too tight and restricted blood flow when they were kids.