Grim Sleeper Trial Opens in L.A.

In a courtroom full of witnesses, jury members, and family members of murdered victims, a L.A. County Deputy District Attorney, Beth Silverman, opens the trial with a statement concerning “a serial killer stalking a cocaine-filled neighborhood.” On February 16, the trial of Lonnie Franklin Jr. begins three decades after the discovery of his first alleged victim. Franklin was accused of killing 10 women between 1985 and 2007. The women were between the ages of 15 and 35, and were found strangled or shot to death. The "Grim Sleeper" nickname came about because of an apparent 14-year gap in the murders between 1988 and 2002. During the time of the murders, many of the victims were women looking for cocaine to sell their bodies for sex. The women believed Franklin would supply them with cheap drugs after they gave him sexual pleasure. Unfortunately, that was not Franklin’s goal. Every woman, except one, was found with drugs in their system and signs of sexual contact after meeting with the accused murderer. The only woman who was not found with drugs in her system was a fifteen year-old runaway who was found dead after taking advantage of by Franklin Jr. Franklin was arrested in July of 2010 after a substance of his DNA was only found at some of the crime scenes. Franklin pleaded not guilty on 10 counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. The defense did not give an opening statement before the trial opened, but Franklin Jr.’s attorney, Seymour Amster, opened with a statement concerning the fact that the defensive side have might tampered with evidence. "The defense has thoroughly ... prepared for this case," Amster said. "And we believe that before it is done, there will be a different story told than what the prosecution is stating." In her report, L.A. coroner, Dr. Lisa Schenin, wrote that one of the victims she examined was shot by the accused, and believed the shot wasn’t fatal so Franklin strangled the victim to death. Schenin testified that the victim’s death was asphyxiation as evidenced by "petechial hemorrhaging". Amster fought Schenin’s testimony stating that no evidence of strangulation was found on the victim’s wound. No signs of finger prints or nails were found around the victim’s throat. After speaking with ABC news, Amster said "Lack of defensive wounds mean lack of struggling.” "I think it was a good day for the prosecution,” Silverman said after court wrapped for the day. The trial is expected to last four months.

Leapin' Lizards: Working on Broadway

Have you ever considered working as a stagehand or stage tech for a Broadway show? After getting the chance to work as a electrician(light technician) for the Broadway show, Annie, I can say it is much different than what I thought it would be. The show was performed at the University of Tyler’s Cowan Center in Tyler, Texas. This year the Cowan Center has three Broadway shows: Annie, Saturday Night Fever, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat that have signed on to stop and performed during their seasonal tour. For this show, I got the chance to learn how different a Broadway show is to the college shows I have worked on in my school years. With a Broadway show everything is fast-paced and constantly moving. The focus with these types of show is getting stuff done. With the shows I’ve worked on or performed in at the Trinity Valley Community College, the main focus is learning as much as possible and understanding how and why everything is done. After speaking to my theatre design teacher’s husband, Andrew “Bohb” Nelson about what’s it like to work big theatre shows as a stagehand, he told me about the constant need to keep up with the group. “It’s very fast-paced and everyone’s working as hard as possible to get everything done as soon as possible,” Nelson said. Many stagehands are having to work up to 10 shows or more that they are working every week. As a stagehand for a touring show, your job includes getting up early, unloading the trucks, setting up equipment, before getting a 15 minute break, working more on setting up, have a lunch, working the show, loading the trucks, then driving all the way to your next venue. Even though the show was extremely fast-paced, I learned about tons of different lighting equipment I have never heard of or seen of. Another TVCC student also had the opportunity to work on the show. Sidney Cates, a sophomore from Edgewood, Texas, was an electrician assistant for the show. “It was very fun, and we had lots to learn,” Cates said. While I was pretty nervous to ask my head electrician questions concerning the equipment, the times that I did I asked questions I learned so many things. I was able to learn what a light-color changing scroller was and why we use it during a show. I also learned how technology is changing to assist light technicians. New advances allow them the chance to have apps on their phones or tablets to check working lights, pick up, and move the lights into air. Working as an assistant electrician for a Broadway show was an amazing opportunity that taught me so many things I thought I would never get the chance to learn or do.

Monthly Favorites

I like to do a little weekly obsessions thing every week to show a snipet of what I'm really obsessing over in the past week. Since it's the end of the month, I decided it's best to show you my monthly favorites! Some items can be from past weekly obsessions, while others are ones that haven't cut the list.

 Troye Sivan's Blue Neighbourhood

After hearing Casper Zazz's remix of Happy Little Pill by Troye Sivan, I have been obsessing over the original song! When Blue Neighbourhood came out and I listen to it, I fell head over heels for it. The whole album makes me either want to jam out or helps soothe me to sleep. The songs I would have to recommend anyone to listen to is WILD and YOUTH.

Bath and Body Works Winter Fragrances          

Even though my favorite Bath and Body Works scents are the fall pumpkin scents, winter scents can make the house feel like winter. In Texas, we can have weather from 40 degrees and cloudy to 90 degrees and sunny one day to 20 degrees and pouring down rain with sleet. We dont really get to have a Christmas or winter feel, so the Bath and Body Works products give the winter feel in our home. ESPECIALLY THE CANDLES!!

All of my freaking Christmas Presents    

I was so spoiled this Christmas, my friends and family members gave me so many gifts that were thoughtful and meaningful. When it came to my wish list, I told everyone I'd like bathing products and my slippers. All I really wanted was a record player, which I got! I got everything I wanted and so much more! Some people say I'm hard to give gifts to, but every thing I got was beyond what I thought it would be.

My Laptop

Something that I've been really wanting lately is a new laptop to edit more videos and pictures for personal wants and class. So I've been asking everyone in the book for recommendations or checking out websites about possible laptop options. I ended getting an HP pavilion and I feel like the coolest cat using this laptop.

Tove Lo   

Tove Lo is a Swedish singer who has become popular in the United States for her songs, Habits (Stay High) and Talking Body, and for loving to show her body off at concerts. Recently, I became obsessed with her music after hearing her song and watching her incredible music video for, Thousand Miles.

Master of None

Master of None is a Netflix show that Aziz Ansari created and is featured in, and is incredibly hilarious. The show has very crude and funny moments that I could never think of. Even though I saw the commercials on television I didn't think it was very funny, but I still gave it a try and it's great. I'm currently on the third episode out of the twelve.

 So that's my December favorites! I hoped every had a happy Christmas and a wonderful New Years eve celebration! What did you enjoy and loved about the month of December?

Thanks for reading

xx

Daddy's Home.

On December 30th, I got the chance to take my mom and boyfriend out to have a hang out day together. Our day included shopping, checking out after-Christmas sales, and snacking on some Taco Bell, but what started our day off was a showing at the movies. Since my sister was on a high school band trip and my mom was off, Robert thought it would be best to take her out and go see a movie: Daddy's Home.

German poster for Daddy's Home

What is the Movie About?

Daddy's Home is about a kindhearted radio executive, Brad Taggart (Will Ferrell), who wants to be the best possible stepfather to his wife's (Linda Cardellini) two children. When her freewheeling ex-husband Dusty (Mark Wahlberg) breezes back into town, Brad's feeling of insecurity quickly develops into an inferiority complex. As Dusty demonstrates his flair for athletics, home repair and bad-boy charisma, Taggart finds himself in a no-holds-barred battle to one-up his rival and win the approval of his family.

My Review:

 To me, the movie wasn't as funny and was to the potential as I hoped it would be. I should've know the film wouldn't be that great after seeing the pair in The Other Guys, a comedic cop buddy movie, that I didn't feel was funny at all. The past few movies Will Ferrell has been has been in animated films, and not as funny as his crude adult films, like Step-Brothers or Elf. When I saw the commercial ad for Daddy's Home, I thought is was going to be hilarious with all the crude or dirty remarks between Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg. In reality, the commercial showed all the funny parts of the film and the rest of it had bits and pieces of funny moments. Other than what they showed in the commercial, the only thing funny is at the end when show John Cena acting like a jerk towards Mark Wahlberg's character pursuing becoming a stepfather. In this film, the writers hoped for the two big stars, Wahlberg and Ferrell, to hit the audience with tons of wackiness and wicked comedy that would laugh the pants off of any movie theater audience member.
I would have to rate this movie a six out of ten wild strawberries.

A swing and a miss with this movie. 

Thanks for reading!

xx

Discussing Mental Health

My new years resolutions consisted of all sorts of things that revolved around one goal: to be happier. Not there's so many different definitions of happiness and how to achieve happiness, but for me it has to do with my mental health.

What is Mental Heatlh?

Mental heatlh isnt just about taking a day off from work or school. Mental health is our emotional, psychological, and social well-being, and it affects how we think, feel, and act. So many things can cause a dethings can cause a decrease or negative impact  in our mental health: stress, not enough sleep, not exercising, eating unhealthy.

For me almost every single one of these things affected my mental health. I don't get a lot of sleep during the school year( about 4 hours on a good night), I don't always eat too healthy, I haven't been working out, I'm on my electronics way too much,I don't always get the chance to see my family, all sorts of things affected my mental health in a negative way. Not in a way where I felt depressed, but it caused me to constantly worry and stress over little things.

So how are we going to fix this?

Step one: Start sleeping!

Cruisin' for a snoozin' One way I'm going to start sleeping more is by changing my schedule. I've made the decision to not work myself sick. So goodbye constantly working the graveyard shift, and hello working only weekends. That's right, when it comes to working at the nursing home I've decide it was in my best interest to start working the weekend and on school holidays. And during the school week I can just work as many work study hours possible, when I'm not doing anything or need time to catch up on some class work. Another thing that can help improve my sleep schedule is by not constantly being on my phone or computer watching YouTube videos or Netflix. I need to start logging off and help myself get tired by relaxing.

Step two: Relax

Here lately my boyfriend has been poking fun at my feel to constantly stress or worry over every little thing in the book. With this problem, I've decided on a couple of little things to try and help. I've started writing my schedule for the week, writing to do list and completing them, writing down budgeting plans for the month, and by coloring.

With the journaling, I've also decided to try out a mental health journal( example is a Wreck this Journal book) to get my thoughts out each day. Which is something I thought my best friend and I can do together to help each other and our constant stress from school.

Examples of Mental Health Journals:

Coloring in an adult coloring book has helped with relaxing from stress and stepping into my own little world.

Step three: Family comes first!

I think not being able to spend time with my family, friends, and significant other has caused some stress on me. The feeling of taking care of others family members or being constantly asked to work a day and know that person asking me to stay is getting the chance to go home and see their family members caused me to miss my family even more. In the past year, I've tried to make time to see everyone and see my out of town family members, but it never feels like enough. It's Time to start cutting hours of staying out with friends at Applebees or working an extra shift, and time to start getting home relaxing with my boyfriend before he goes to work, grab lunch with my mom, drive down and stay a couple of days with my dad and step mom, or watch a couple of episodes of Parks And Recreation with my little sister.

Step four: Do things to get me

a step closer to my career goals

In the past month, I've tried to start doing little things to get me a step closer to my career goals and it feels like it's never enough. I've started doing more photography, writing and creating my blog, and editing pictures on Photoshop, but there is so much more that I can do to get even closer. This is the time to start doing more that gets me involved with creating publicity posters, commercials, videos with meanings, and doing more in photography.

I feel there are even more things, but with the items I've listed I feel it will help me get a step closer to become a happier and healthier Shaydi.

Thank you so much for reading!

xx

A Thousand Miles to a Music Review

On December 21st, Tove Lo released her music video for her original song Thousand Miles, and I freaking love it. When I saw it on the YouTube popular music list, I instantly became intrigued thinking it was a cover of Vanessa Carlton's popular song A Thousand Miles, but I was totally surprised by what I got. Instead of an intro piano solo, I heard Tove Lo giving a speech about how hard it is to lose the ones we love and then her soothing voice in the ballad.

The song was off her album Queen of the Clouds, which was released in September of 2014 by the Swedish singer. Queen of the Clouds is Lo's follow up album to her debut EP, Truth Serum, which was released in Sweden in March of 2014. The song Habits (Stay High),  which also was featured on Queen of the Clouds, helped Lo gain popularity after being the first single released from the Truth Serum EP.

Popular song featuring Tove Lo

The singer has gain popularity for loving to show her body off at live performance and for her body self confidence. Tove Lo also gained popularity after being featured on Alesso's hit song Heroes (We Could Be), and for writing the song Scream My Name from the Mockingjay: Part 1 Soundtrack.

Queen of the Clouds is a concept album that is divided into three important parts: The Sex, The Love, and The Pain. Thousand Miles opens the section called The Pain with its thunderous electro pop power-ballad that depicts Lo's obsession to reunite with a lost love, even if she has to run "a thousand miles". The album is a story of a relationship she had from beginning to end, and was influenced by Tove Lo's personal experiences.

On the audio video, which was released in September 23,2014, on the Youtube page, ToveLoVevo, a comment is featured to say: "There's no good way to end things cause it's ending you know.. Passion comes with pain. Here's 'Thousand Miles', the song that brings me to tears and still lights that string of hope that "maybe we'll make it”…

Passion comes with pain...

When I found the video and listen to the song, I was blown away by how beautiful the music and Tove Lo's speech at the beginning of the video. The song really speaks to anyone that feel they are alone and that feel that no one will ever love them or want to be with them. People don't understand that love is hard work, it's not always a walk in the park. And this song definitely shows that you will and can do everything and anything to get the love of your life. 

If you too want to listen to the song, Thousand Miles Audio Video,  or watch the music video that featured a live performance by Tove Lo, Thousand Miles Live Music Video, all you have to do is hit the links!

Thanks for reading!

xx

Record Collection

How My Collection Started:

Growing up, I was extremely infatuated with everything that had to do with the sixties and seventies era. I loved everything from the clothing, the carefree movement, the punk area of the seventies, the historical people, and the music. I loved the music so much it caused me to want to collect vinyls. When I was between ten or twelve years old, I decided to start collecting records. 

The Monkees

This was my very first first album I got from First Monday in Canton, TX. My mom told me I could pick any record from the three dollar bin, and I really wanted something that reminded me of why I started my collection. That album shows my connection to the past. Of me growing up and wanting to be a hippie.

 Newest Additions to the Collection:

Awesome new find!

Artic Monkeys and Paramore

After I received my gorgeous record player from my dad and step mom, Robert informed me that part of my Christmas presents from him were new records to play with it. So on our Star Wars date day, we went to Half Priced Books to look at records and comic books. Both of these albums are newer albums of bands I really enjoy. The Artic Monkeys have such a groovy,funky sound to their music I felt I had to get the album, even though it was the most expensive one I received. It cost about $25. When I picked my other albums, two of them ended up being old school movies so I had to return them. I knew when we went to return the movies I would most likely get a Paramore album, and at first I was going to get Brand New Eyes. Since I loved pratically all the songs on the album. Then I locked eyes with something else. 
Oh no.

It was Paramore's album, RIOT!, which is my all time favorite Paramore album! The one I can seriously rock the hell out to! So after thinking it over for a hot minute, I said eff it I'm going to get it.

Personal Meaning:

Johnny Cash

My new turntable!

I'm not the biggest country music fan, but there's something about Johnny Cash's deep brooding voice that I've always adored. When my mom noticed how responsible and protective I was with my Monkees record, she gave me my grandfather's record collection. It included tons of country vinyls that I wasn't interested in, but the Johnny Cash albums sparked my interest in collecting tons of Johnny Cash albums. Now every time I look at records stores or book stores, I search for a Cash record I don't have. Not only that but Robert Earl also loves Johnny Cash, so he usually helps me with hunting them down. These records are important, since my grandfather's collection helped me start my collection. 

The Beatles

These records also have a very personal attachment to me. These records were given to me by my grandma who have had the records for years upon years. Unfortunately, the records may be unable to play because of water damage from a house flood. Even then, just the idea that I have a vintage record of my favorite Beatles record and my first Beatles CD, A Hard Days Night, is freaking awesome.

New Toto vinyl

Thanks for reading!

xx