The Original SoGoPro Street Team Blog

We've Moved!

2012-01-15T14:47:00.000-08:00

And we hope you join us! www.SoGoProStreet.com

Register with us there to start adding your own content :)

HUGE changes!!!!

2011-12-15T18:36:00.000-08:00

Just when you thought the blog was taking a nap....

It's moving to a new, amazing home....

You'll definitely want to stick around!

Hanging up hat, boots and errr 'beard'??

2011-10-05T10:34:00.000-07:00

Hi guys,

Well this is a fairly sad post and I am hoping y'all understand where we are coming from, but after two highly sucessful Secret Santa gift exchanges Elf, (better known as Astrid) and I are hanging up the hat and boots and retiring!

Its been a fun adventure and essentially it has been a victim of its own success. As SGP streeteam numbers continued to grow it has become harder and harder to manage. Some of you may be aware, some not, but the 'extra gifts' that had to be bought and sent last year to compensate for some people 'not playing the game' really made us realise that the community has now grown too much for us to ensure fair play by all.

Maybe some of you will feel inspired by Kasias birthday card exchange, or another Christmassy idea to get everyone in the spirit, and whoever feels they want to embark upon something similar will have our full support.

Thanks to everyone who made it a very special time for us all, with a special wink to my own Secret santas, on and off the record!

Annie

Coming Soon!

2011-08-11T22:21:00.000-07:00

Help build Simply Hilarie!
Comment to show interest or email K.DiTommaso@gmail.com for more info :)

Musicopedia - U2

2011-08-06T10:56:00.000-07:00

DISCLAIMER: Guys I have to be upfront this is something I have errrrrr put together thanks to wiki and some childhood memories, as I knew kasia was out of action this week and wasn't going to be able to post on Thursday as usual!

Hope you enjoy! Titles like this marked my youth, and are marking my kids too, bad or good - yet to decide, but i would rather have U2 than Bieber!

So, I liked the oldies, I love the middle years and the jury is still out on the new stuff. Call me a stick in the mud -

With or Without you is a song that has touched me on so many levels, as a kid listening to my sister belt this out through her sterio, first break up, first family death, first live concert.... This is a beauty and even if Bono has a crap voice, the song does the work!

See, Kasia has been busy, and I am not brilliant at these, but I hope this gives you an insight into my youth! I was about 6 months old, when the band formed in Dublin on 25 September 1976. Larry Mullen Jr a 14-year-old student at Mount Temple Comprehensive School, posted a note on the school's notice board in search of musicians for a new band—six people responded. Setting up in his kitchen, Mullen was on drums, with Paul Hewson on lead vocals; David Evans and his older brother Dik Evans on guitar; Adam Clayton, a friend of the Evans brothers on bass guitar!

I have books on these guys, I have shirts from concerts I wasn't at and I adore the band, but I am not sure what my take is on them now - I think I liked them better then!

(Wiki) 1983 - U2 Live at Red Rocks depicts the band's performance at Red Rocks on a rain-soaked evening. The weather threatened to cancel the concert, but the band had invested in the filming with Island Records and concert promoter Barry Fey and wished to proceed with the gig. The rain and the torch-lit natural beauty of the surroundings combined to dramatise U2's performance. Critics praised the concert and the video, and it subsequently became a best-seller. The video, along with Under a Blood Red Sky, helped establish U2's reputation as a remarkable live band, and it boosted Red Rocks' stature as a live venue in the US. A remastered edition of U2 Live at Red Rocks was released on DVD in September 2008, featuring previously unreleased tracks. Rolling Stone selected the film's performance of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" as one of the "50 Moments that Changed the History of Rock and Roll".

Another moment that marked me was watching the late show with Gay Byrne, and U2 were the guests, in the olden days when they still did this kind of show……. So this is Christmas, its an oldie 16^th December 1998 I was 12! Scroll throught to about 3mins40 for the tune.

There is something very haunting about alot of their earlier stuff, and a lot of commercialism in their recent stuff... but a band I stand by all the same!

In Memory Of ... Amy Winehouse

2011-07-24T02:36:00.000-07:00

Undeniably one of the most charismatic and troubled female singers of 21^st Century, she left the world and joined the (in)famous Club 27. She joined artists like Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix who left this world too early, at the age of 27. All for the same, careless, reason – drugs and alcohol. Amy Winehouse was a music icon while still alive, but she wasn't able to resist her demons. Uncountable number of rehabs she entered, partying hard with complete blackouts and wardrobe malfunctions were her identification mark. As well as her big hair and winged eyeliner. Amy Winehouse lost her addiction battle and may it be an eye opening tragedy for the rest of show business stars who struggle with similar problems.

Amy's rough past had a huge impact on her stage performances. From lively singer she went to a mumbling and barely standing on her feet so her tour dates had to canceled. Contralto singer hit the rock bottom after marrying her (already ex) husband, Blake, who is mostly to blame for her addiction problems. But, before she became tabloids favorite (not for her singing skills), Amy was on top in music business.

After releasing her jazz inspired debut album Frank in 2003 Amy gained worldwide attention that was followed by her second record Back To Black and even more success was to come. With great hits like Rehab and You Know I'm No Good she peaked up in European and US charts and album was a best seller. Amy was awarded with couple of Grammys and other music industry awards. She was performing all over the world and also made special appearances on tv and radio shows. Unlike Frank, Back To Black was inspired by late 50s and early 60s music that beautifully combined with Amy's retro style. She was inspirational to many women as they attempted to copy her hairstyle and funky eyeliner. She climbed up as quick as she fell down, but sometimes people need to crash and burn before they realize their issues.

After marrying Blake, Amy was more often been drugged, drunk rather than not. Her stage performances were highly influenced by her addictions as she performed high. After the divorce not much has changed as she was still using and partying so hard she couldn't walk. Numerous rehabs she entered didn't do much good nor approved her health as she was always going back to her usual ways. Despite being warned by doctors that if she doesn't stop she will die (it was just a matter of time) she did her own thing. She started looking thinner and thinner, dirtier ans from a glamorous girl looks she started reminding Courtney Love.

There was a brief moment in 2011 when friends and family thought she's back on track, but we couldn't be more mistaken. One after another disappointing performance her tour was canceled again, and so was her new album recording that was supposed to be her big come back. However, the record labels have no sympathy for people who pass away and smell big bucks on the occasion, so - who knows? ...

All of a sudden, on July 23^rd the world was hit with the news that Amy Winehouse died at the age of 27. Now, she joined the Club 27 of artists who died at that age during their best music days.

But, let's remind Amy from her glory days as a wonderful singer with one of a kind voice ...

And, remember - drugs & alcohol are No, No, No...

xoxo,

Kasia

SoGoPro Street Team interview: Laura McCann

2011-07-23T22:57:00.000-07:00

Real Name: Laura McCann

Age: Younger than 19

SoGoPro member for: 2 years and 6 weeks

Profile: http://www.sogopro.com/user/752

About me: I live in Liverpool, UK with my mum, dad and cat Tolkein (I love Lord Of The Rings). I spend lots of my time with my friends, listening to music, reading, writing the usual jazz. I also live by the motto, 'don't do anything unless it promises to be fun' which can cause problems when it comes to school work lol :D

Favorite Music: where do I begin... elvis costello, david bowie, bon jovi, green day, u2, the honorary title, la rocca, tom waits, dolly parton, taylor swift, martina mcbride, johnny cash, ben kweller, foof fighters, fall out boy, bowling for soup, the wombats, good charlotte, elvis presely, bruce springsteen, franz ferdinand, the illers, travis, thebandwithnoname, yfriday... and so much more

Favorite Books: Harry Potter septology (not sure thats a word), Lord of the Rings trilogy, Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy, Secret Life OF Bees, The Boy In Striped Pjamas and When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit.

Favorite Movies: Same as books as well as, A Knight's Tale, Clueless, Tootsie, Sweeny Todd, Edward Scissorhands, Pirates of the Carribean trilogy and The Addams Family.

______________________________________

The interview:

Peter and Miryam: First of all we would like to thank you that you agreed to be interviewed by us. Hmm, can you guess already with wich question we would like to start off with? ...yes, exactly: how did you find out about SoGoPro and what does it mean to you?

Laura: I guessed correctly! lol Well, I am a HUGE One Tree Hill fan, as I’m discovering lots of us are and Peyton was my favourite character as I find certain aspects of her character easy to identify with. I watched interviews with all the cast, naturally, and during one Hilarie mentioned SoGoPro so I immediately googled it and found my way to the very first SoGoPro blog. I was hooked straight away! Without wishing to sound corny or cliched but SoGoPro does mean a lot. It is a unique community of inspiration and I am entirely grateful for the encouragement I have received concerning my own endeavours.

Peter and Miryam: “A community of inspiration” -beautifully said!!...maybe that should be a new slogan for SoGoPro, definately fits ;) So then what was the best experience you’ve had with SoGoPro so far and how did it influence you?

Laura: I think there have been two ‘best experiences’. The first concerns yourself Miryam. The fact that you have taken the time to edit my own writing really means a lot and has been so incredibly helpful so Thank You! (Miryam: oh my, I think I can’t turn more red!! ...but really more enjoying the read than editing, its great work you’re producing there!) The second is the fact that Aniiyy allowed and trusted me to edit her own wonderful work. It helped me to help her and I really enjoyed myself.

Peter and Miryam: It does sound as if you’re really involved in literature! We know how much you love books (also the ones you don’t write or edit ;p ) and music- can you share for everyone who doesn’t know yet what they mean to you?

Laura: Oh jeez, I have about a year to explain, don’t I? Firstly, books and music are always there, they don’t leave or judge you. You just have to find the right song or story and immediately you have something to identify with. Also I like to describe my self as a escapologist not in a physical sense like Houdini (though that would be awesome!) (yeah, it would!) but in a mental sense. Good books take you away to other lands like Lord Of The Rings (my cat’s called Tolkien), or wrap in you in magical mysteries like Harry Potter, yet due to the craftsmanship of the writing they are still believably and absorbing tales. Even tales of real people that are written well still allow for some escapism whilst teaching you about reality or giving hope that there is something else out there.

Music is much the same. I have a huge interest in Psychology; why is my favourite question. I find that a lot of really genuine artists open out their souls with their music and leave them to be questioned and delved into. The whole idea of knowing how someone feels about a particular event, or at a particular time just excites and fascinates me. This doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy a good old dance to ‘Wannabe’ by Spice Girls or that I don’t watch Eurovision every year because I do! it’s just that I am very aware that music is a big deal. As I described myself in 140 characters on Twitter, Music is the soundtrack to my life, Films are the entertainment, Magic is my friends, Love fills the gaps.

Peter and Miryam: What a way to describe yourself! Speaking of magic and delving into different worlds: as you mentioned before, you yourself are writing as well. How do you find your inspiration?

Laura: How do I not find it? I can literally find inspiration from anywhere, I take a lot of it from experiences and emotions. Writing is my release, some people go for a jog when they get stressed or are in need of entertainment, I write and write and write and write! It does get frustrating as sometimes I have about seven ideas at once and other times I don’t have any solid ideas just wisps of imagination.

Peter and Miryam: Haha, just imagine Laura with 7 hands to write all her ideas down!! ;) So then what got you into writing and what makes you go on?

Laura: I’ve always written I suppose. English and History have always been my favourite subjects at school and I’ve always performed best in those lessons. I go on because as I say it is my release, if I didn’t write then I’d lead a very sheltered and confused life. Also, I’ve become more confident with my writing so I have allowed others to read it (Miryam: And I thank you a lot for that!) and they ask me for it so I feel like I’m performing a service.

Peter and Miryam: It is no secret, that you want to be an author. And it is great that you have started to show your work to others as well. As far as we know, you also write songs and poetry. Could you imagine yourself as a songwriter as well? And what about scriptwriting, could you also imagine writing movies?

Laura: I will genuinely write anything a person will read! I would love my business card to just say, ‘writer’ and I could spend my days sat in a country cottage with people ringing me and asking me to this or that. That would be my ideal ‘job’ mainly because it would be no job at all. Yes, I could definitely imagine myself doing that but before I commit to it full time I think I shall fight crime first.

Peter and Miryam: Nice image! One can really picture you- retired crime fighter, in her little cottage surrounded by flowers and interestingly growing trees, being called up on an old string phone...”Ms McCann, we need you to write down a new adventure...ancient Egypt, thief steals Cleopatra’s jewels, include some supernatural elements; format: filmscript, make it extendable so we could throw in a sequel when it goes well; due date: asap...yesterday would have been good, but tomorrow will do too”...haha!

Anyways, tell us, which is your favorite segment on SoGoPro?

Laura: Hmmm....this is a tricky one. I think it is a toss up between the Sunday Interviews because I love hearing other people’s stories and the Musicopedia because I love music, stories and finding facts that perhaps others have never heard.

Peter and Miryam: We feel honored, thank you. You have also made some friends through SoGoPro- Aniiyy for example, who trusted you enough to edit her book. What does that mean to you?

Laura: It means a lot. That trust someone puts in you and your opinion is really honouring. I am so appreciative of the opportunity. The whole experience aided my work as much as I hope it aided Aniiyy. I really enjoyed it and it was a very easy job as Aniiyy is a brilliant writer.

Miryam and Peter: Ok, now lets just hear a little scoop of your imagination: A while ago Kendall was searching for ideas for a new contest and you gave her the idea of asking us which superpowers the Hellick should have. We thought this was a fantastic idea. Which superpowers did you give them and why? What adventure would they fight in your comic strip?

Laura: (found my original tweet) I decided: KT - time control, Nick - mind control, Hilarie - metamorphosis and they'd all have really cool outfits & invisibility cloaks.

Hmmm.... I think they would be filming one day and suddenly all of the equipment would turn on them thanks to an evil and jealous director. Hilarie would transform into a camera or something and take out some of the equipment from the inside. Nick would make the evil director stop forcing the equipment to turn on them but it turns out the equipment is now acting on their own...aaahhhhh...so KT turns back time and throws out the equipment, buys new stuff and sends the director on a nice ‘holiday’ :) Yeah, that’ll do for 10 o’clock in the morning.

Miryam and Peter: Haha, that’s fantastic!

So on that note we would like to thank you very much for taking the time to perform this interview with us, especially since you are going on holidays today! Enjoy your travels and don’t forget to upload some pictures after you return ;)

Laura: Thank you both!

Behind The Scenes With... Leigh Wiley

2011-07-22T02:31:00.000-07:00

Behind The Scenes With …. brings to SoGoPro Street Team special interview series with amazing guest stars who are involved with film, theater or television. Every two weeks the series hosts interesting personalities to share their outlook on industry and life. In today’s episode we are happy to catch up with Leigh Wiley who was briefly introduced in one of KT’s vlogs, interviewed by Karen, but since her role at the production office expanded we’re here to learn what’s new!

Kasia: Welcome back, Leigh! Nice to see you joining the SoGoPro community again! Please, tell us what happened since you joined forces with Karen and KT in the vlog? Apparently, you have a new, early shift? What’s that all about?

Leigh: Hello everyone! Thanks for taking an interest! I’m excited to get to talk to you guys about life on the Hill. I do have a new shift this season. I was used to being the late shift seasons 4 through 8, so being the super early shift this year is a big change. When I was the late shift I would come in to work 2 hours after the shooting crew and stay until we were done filming which is normally 11 or 12 hours in the office. This season I come in half an hour before the shooting crew and I get to go home when Kelly says so. :) Honestly, he’s really good to all of us in the office. I’ve been in some production offices where your normal day is 14 hours long! Now that is exhausting! I also don’t have to work on Saturdays any more. Andrea, who is now our Office PA, has my old shift and has to deal with taking the film to the airport on the weekends to be shipped off to our Post Production facility. I used to HATE doing that!

Annie: great to hear that Andrea has joined forces with y’all, nice team you have there! Such a huge important part, getting the film where it needs to go!

Leigh: We do have a great team! I was so happy Andrea could join us. She’s adorable and everyone loves Karen and Kel. I’m very lucky to work with such wonderful people. KT I think Leigh is after a RAISE :)

Kasia: But, first things first …. So, how did you start your adventure in television/movie production?
Leigh: I studied film production in school at UNCW, and while I was in college I worked at EUE (what does EUE stand for? --That’s one of the questions I had to answer as a tour guide and I don’t know if I ever gave a correct answer. I want to say it stands for Elliot Unger Elliot, but I might need to Google that!) Screen Gems Studios (where OTH films). I was a tour guide on the weekends for about 2 years. I also interned on One Tree Hill during season 2 in the Art Department on Wednesdays and the AD Department on Fridays. That’s really how I met the office staff. Kathy Rayle was my internship coordinator, and she was always so sweet and encouraging when I would come into the office. I really enjoyed my time in the art department and I’ll just say that I didn’t like Set PA-ing as much. ;) As graduation was approaching I started to freak out about what I would do with my degree and how to get into the business. Luckily, a friend of mine that worked reception at the studio moved to NY and I took over for her. So, I kind of just stumbled into that job. I worked there for a year and I managed to stay in touch with the OTH office staff, and AGAIN I just got lucky. Kathy Rayle went on maternity leave so everyone shifted up a spot (except Kelly, he’s already at the top) and a position opened up for a PA. At that point I was already considering leaving the studio and Kelly approached me about working with OTH, so that’s how it all started. I know this isn’t the best message to put out there, but when Kelly hired me he had no idea I had studied film in school! He told me it was because I was always so nice and helpful on the phone! Ah, well....So much for my college education!

Annie: So in addition to helping to generate lots of different kinds of paperwork and field all sorts of phone calls I hear you spend or used to spend at least a couple of hours each day coordinating lunches for the off-set crew, what does that involve and who are the off set crew?
Leigh: Oh, Lunches. It’s a never-ending struggle! Poor Karen used to have to deal with it, and I’m pretty sure it was her least favorite part of the job! I used to have to pick all of the lunches up (UGH!) so I consider coordinating it to be far better than having to lug it all back to the office! (Sorry, Andrea) Free food is one of the perks, I mean, we’re really fortunate to get our meals paid for, but it is definitely a process.... Where do I start? The catering truck feeds the set crew and the off-set crew while the show is being filmed on the sound stages at the studio, but when the set crew is on location the off-set crew have to order to-go lunches from a restaurant in Wilmington. The off-set crew consists of the production office (Kelly, Karen, Andrea and myself), Accounting, our Transportation Coordinator, the Producer’s Assistant, the director that isn’t currently filming but is prepping for the next episode and the AD that preps with the director. Occasionally other people will order like our producers from L.A. if they’re in town or Mark Schwahn (the creator of the show). And it can take hours to get everyone’s orders! I try to pick a menu by 10:30 in the morning--I normally forget and have to depend on an alarm I set on my cell phone! Picking a restaurant is the hardest part! We’ve eaten at the same restaurants for years and years now and we’re all sick of to-go food. On my birthday I made the office order from an Indian place that we’ve never ordered from. Karen took one bite, made a yacking noise and promptly made a pb and j. Andrea didn’t even open her to-go container. Kelly completely refused to order anything, and I inherited everyone’s leftover food. (Happy birthday to meeeeee!!) So, you can never please the masses but we’ve learned to just pick a place and if people hate it then they can fend for themselves. We stock sandwich supplies in our break room for this exact problem! Anyway, I try to have lunches ready for pickup between noon and 1:00pm. Andrea picks everything up and when she gets back to the office Karen, Andrea and I will pass everything out. If we’re lucky the food containers will be individually labeled but we’re not always so lucky! It’s pretty boring to actually describe it. I’m sure all of you out there have ordered to-go food at some point in your life. Take that process and multiply it by 15. You get the idea. :)
Kasia: True, I used to have Pizza Day every last Thursday and we ordered pizza for around 100 people and when something wasn’t labeled or not labeled properly it was a pain in...
Annie: I suppose we do ask this question in a lot of interviews, but I am guessing you will miss cast and crew when OTH really does finally wrap, have you got one or two really outstanding memories of your time there you could share with us?

Leigh: One or two!?! I have a thousand amazing memories with my film family! We happened to be prepping for Season 5 when I turned 24 so Kelly rented us a limo and we drove from Wilmington down to Myrtle Beach, SC with a mixture of One Tree Hill peeps and my best
friends. We ran out of alcohol before we even hit the state line! And then we played drunken laser tag (not easy!) and we had to hit up Fat Tuesdays so Karen could get an alcoholic slushie. Our locations girl, Kristin, made me wear a sign all night that said “Kiss Me, It’s My Birthday.” That was so embarrassing, but at least I got a kiss....or 25 on my birthday. It was a great time even though I might not remember all of it. And let’s see.... I’ve been lucky to meet several bands over the years; Jack’s Mannequin, Angels and Airwaves, and Noisettes are just a few of them. My favorite band of all time is Something Corporate and as some of you may know the lead singer of SoCo, Andrew McMahon, eventually formed Jack’s Mannequin. I think that’s the closest I’ve come to completely geeking out over meeting a celebrity. He’s so talented! I couldn’t even speak to him. The OTH girls tease me that I got flustered when I met Angels and Airwaves too (another of my favorite bands). Like I said, there are so many memories to choose from. I took a trip to Las Vegas and later to New York with Karen and Kristin and our Costume Supervisor, Robin. It wasn’t official One Tree Hill business, but if I hadn’t been working on the show I wouldn’t have made such phenomenal friends and travel buddies. So, I’m really thankful to be doing what I’m doing. Annie: That’s something we kind of share with you then, if we didn’t have SGP we wouldn’t have made all our awesome new friends!

Kasia: Karen said she’s more of a gypsy when it comes to her career - instead of making plans she follows what the future brings. What about you? Got anything planned once the series ends for good?
Leigh: Oh, I’m a total gypsy! Like I said, I tried to follow a path and go to school for film, and I tried so hard to break into the business, but in the end I was just in the right place at the right time. I have a necklace with a charm on it that says “When I let go of what I am I become what I might be.” I think that’s my approach to life. I definitely believe in hard work, and I try to make decent life decisions, but sometimes I think life is going to happen no matter how prepared you are. To some degree you have to just sit back and let it happen. As far as post-OTH life goes, I have no plans at the moment. Maybe I’ll stumble into something else. Maybe I’ll go back to school. Maybe I’ll move to Japan! I don’t really know. And I’m not really that worried about it. :)
Annie: Where do you hope to see yourself (in an ideal world) in a few years time, have you fallen in love with the industry ?

Leigh: I wouldn’t say I’ve fallen in love with the industry. It’s definitely a love/hate relationship. The hours are long, and you have to be willing to make it your life. It’s hard to have a social life. It’s nearly impossible to date. My pets hate me! You can’t make travel plans because your filming schedule can change at a moment’s notice. My parents never see me. Hell, I don’t even call them for weeks at a time. But somehow, even after all of that, I still really enjoy it. I think it’s because my work day is always filled with laughs and its never the same from day to day. Who knows. Maybe I’m just a work-a-holic.

Annie: So KT is to his bike as Karen is to her gambling ….. as Leigh is to her..... care to share, food maybe?
Leigh: Is Karen really that into gambling!? I’d say she’s more into internet shopping or Chelsea Handler. ;) I do love food! Especially free food and hot dogs. I tried to be a vegetarian once but I broke down over hot dogs at craft service on set. And those soy veggie dog things are gross! I don’t care what people say! What else do I love? Gardening and video games but only the really geeky ones like Final Fantasy. I’m also really into my cat, Momo. Too bad he doesn’t love me back. And I’m kind of obsessed with anything Japanese, but I guess the top of my list would be Momo. He’s a pain in the ass, and he has permanently scarred my nose from an accidental scratch (whatever, he did it on purpose), but I still adore him.

Kasia: SoGoPro community has a strong interest in music and movies. If you had to choose three dvd titles and five songs to watch/listen to on a long haul flight, what would make it onto your list?

Leigh: I’m the worst film major you’ll ever encounter, and I come by it honestly. I can never name my favorite films and it’s miraculous if I know who the director is. I’m not very good with celebrities either. I just don’t really care about movies unless they have some element of fantasy or are about super heroes. I love a good super hero movie! So I’m guessing I would watch the Harry Potter films or How To Train Your Dragon or a good Spider-Man or X-Men film. But not that new X-Men film. That one blows. Honestly, if I was on a long flight, I’d probably read before I did anything else. My 5 songs would be “Konstantine” by Something Corporate, “My Heart” by Paramore, “Gravity” by Sara Bareilles, “Passion” by Utada Hikaru (it’s Japanese!), and “Here With Me” by Dido.
Kasia: Some really great music choices! Don’t know all the songs but will definitely give it a try (bit unsure on the Japanese song, though)...LOVE Dido

Annie: A little birdie tells me that Wizards, Dragons, and Harry Potter are all right up your Diagon Alley (excuse the pun), which of the Harry Potter books is your favourite?

Leigh: Yes they are! I loved your pun, by the way. I giggled. :) I don’t know if I can pick a favorite. It used to be the 4th book, “The Goblet of Fire” because it’s so exciting the whole way through and that’s when the books really start to take a turn. The end of that book blew me away when I read it the first time. Yes, I have read them more times than I can count. I was part of a Harry Potter Book Club recently (you can laugh at me, it’s ok.) and the meeting I had to lead was on the last book, “The Deathly Hallows.” I really analyzed it and thought about the themes of that particular book and the whole series. The movie just doesn’t do it justice. Something that really gets to me is the fact that there are plenty of people out there who will just watch the movies and never read the books. Do yourself a favor and read them. I just bitched to my dad about this. He’s one of those people. Shame on him! Annie: I am a huge HP fan, and I hear you tried unsuccessfully to get Karen to share the ‘’Potter love’’ to no avail? What actually makes the books for you?

Leigh: Shame on her too! :) The series is such an adventure! And I don’t just mean in the fantasy sense. It’s an emotional adventure too. I appreciate books and films that make you genuinely care for the characters. I’ve cried buckets and I’ve laughed out loud. I’ve been terrified for Harry and his friends. I fully believe that Lord Voldemort is the most badass villian in all of history. I’m not really sure how to sum up all of that emotion. I’m not that good with words, but I can say that I’ve thought deeply enough about the series that I honestly believe that reading those books has changed my life.
Kasia: Have you followed the SoGoPro book club entries, tell us if you have any recommendations, apart from Mr Potter?

Leigh: Hmmm.... let me check my goodreads page..... Oh, I love “The Inheritance Cycle” by Christopher Paolini. Dragons! SQUEAL!
Kasia: SoGoPro has supporters from all over the globe, so we’re curious, have you ever been somewhere very far from home?

Leigh: Last year I took a trip to Belize with my boyfriend. The whole trip was such an eye-opener. I didn’t know the world was so beautiful! The best day of my life was spent snorkeling in the Caribbean. I got burned to a crisp, was stung by a jellyfish and cut my leg on some coral and it was still the most unbelievable, breath-taking experience. For me, that day was what living is all about.

We’d like to thank Leigh for taking time to participate in our interview series and share details of your work and life with SoGoPro community! Have fun filming the 9th season of the show and we keep our fingers crossed for the raise :)

Just a little word cloud - fun to play with

2011-07-15T05:24:00.000-07:00

Just with everything going on with the Weather Channel promos, I thought it would be fun to make a word cloud from some of the blogs all mixed together!

created at TagCrowd.com

Musicopedia: Tina Turner

2011-07-13T11:11:00.000-07:00

Anne Mae Bullock (no familiarity with Sandra) is nearly 72 years old but has an energy of a teenager that most nowadays artists can only dream of. She is the grandmother and queen of rock'n'roll with the most beautiful pair of legs the show business has ever seen.

Despite ups and (mostly) downs in her marriage to Ike Turner she rebuilt her career after divorcing Ike in 1978 due to abuse issues. After few years away from the spotlight Tina Turner came back with more hit singles everyone knows and loves. To leave the music business for retirement in 2009 she did a farewell tour that brought an amazing and one of best live concert DVDs in history. But, let's take a look at her glamour career from the very beginning.

As African-American-Indian she started in gospel church choirs and moved onto rhytm & blues genre after meeting Ike. She was also a back up singer for many artists before she landed as one herself. For short time in the 70s Jimi Hendrix was a band member along Tina and Ike. At first, not everything went so well for Tina and Ike Turner who started as a duo called Ike & Tina Turner Revue. They were successful artists that wrote great all time favorite singles like Proud Mary and River Deep Mountain High in the early 70s, but it was hell for Tina as her husband abused her. In her memoir I, Tina, she went down the memory lane and wrote about marriage nightmare she went through. The divorce was finalized in 1978 and they went separate ways - according to Tina's statement she had no contact with Ike for 30 years. To help her dealing with the past she went from baptist to buddhist and claims that becoming more spiritual helped her gain confidence. In 1993 biographical movie about Tina was released with outstanding performance from Angela Bassett as Tina.

Note: Ike Turner died in 2007 from cocaine overdose (which isn't unusual for many artists).

Tina came back in 1983 with her hit Let's Stay Together and Private Dancer album the next year. She landed numerous movie roles including famous cameo in Mad Max along Mel Gibson that brought up We Don't Need Another Hero hit single from Tina. She also appeared in Tommy as The Acid Queen, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (reference to The Beatles).

Tina sold nearly 200 millions of albums and singles while tickets to her shows were best sold in history. No one you can think of has the energy, movement and voice brings teenagers and adults to her concerts, because barely anyone else's music brings people together like that, and she was doing it for the past 50 years on stage. Private Dancer album brought a lot of top rated singles starting from Private Dancer (written by Mark Knopfler) to What's Love Got To Do With It and I Can't Stand The Rain and it's her best selling album so far. She also took part in We Are The World USA For Africa charity song along other great artists like Michael Jackson. Her music and movie roles brought Tina many industry awards from NAACP to Grammy, Golden Globe and many more. Tina also owns her very Star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and also holds a record (along with Sir Paul McCartney) for performing in front of the largest audience ever – over 184,000 people which took place in Brazil in 1988. Each of Tina's solo albums after Private Dancer were major worldwide success with some best songs of all time like The Best, cover of In Your Wildest Dreams or John Waite's Missing You. Her other movie songs include Goldeneye from James Bond movie series and Why Must We Wait For Tonight. She collaborated with many artists like Bryan Adams, David Bowie, Herbie Hancock, Mick Jagger, Eros Ramazzotti, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins and others.

Her energetic performances could make some artists jelaous and prove that you don't need to dress up as Mickey Mouse to gather crowds at concerts. Despite having some plastic surgeries and wearing uncountable amount of wigs no one can say she looks overdone or unnatural. She's got it.

There's even a street named Tina Turner Highway.

Let's recall some Tina's amazing performances from now and then.

This is how you perform at the age of 69 …

Hello, legs!

With Bryan Adams...

xoxo,

Kasia

SoGoPro Street Team Sunday Interview: Laura

2011-07-10T01:04:00.001-07:00

Please excuse the bad English this week. Sorry. Miryam is kind of “lost in Australia”. I hope she is safe.

Today we would like to introduce you to a member which is not well-known from the chat and therefore is involved without attracting attention. We think our community is so manifold, everybody has its preferences. However everyone brings in his or her part. Some members are visible from time to time and others are just visible in a certain region. So it is with Laura (Flickr: cookie_jar). We, Miryam and I, have noticed her on our Flickr page. Some of her photos are my favorite ones and many of them took place in our gallery. Thank you very much for your input!

Name: Laura

Age: 20

SoGoPro member for 1 year and 16 weeks

Profil: http://www.sogopro.com/user/3638

About me: I am Laura, 20 years young, and I am living in Potsdam near to Berlin at the moment. I started a business study in the last year. I am from the north of Brandenburg, that's a state in the eastern part of Germany. Almost exactly between Hamburg and Berlin. It is a very easeful region with lots of nature and barely industry.

Favorite Music: In Extremo, Journey, Foreigner, Coldplay, Metallica, U2, Foo Fighters, Dolly Parton, Shirley Bassey and David Bowie. A lot more but I'm put on the spot right now.

Favorite Books: Grace & Grit by Kim Wozencraft. The Autograph Man by Zadie Smith. Hemingway's short stories. Anything unusual. Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury. The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie. Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. Lord of the Flies by William Golding.

Favorite Movies: Donnie Darko, Friends with Money, The Good Girl, Irma LaDuce (I absolutely love Shirley MacLaine), Forrest Gump, Fight Club, Singin' In The Rain, Closer, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Proposal, Crash, Léon, Amélie, Thelma & Louise.

_________________________________

Summer Crop

The interview:

P&M: Which things in your live are from special importance for you?

L: I just list some things that are important to me or that I like doing: my friends, my grand-parents, my mother, photography, football (soccer in U.S.), volleyball, sport in general, movies, music, books, politics, foreign languages. Sport is very important in my life. It is a balance to my student life and for reducing stress, for example.

P&M: What do you know about the community and how do you got in touch with us?

L: I don't know soo much about the community, but in general I know the community is driven by many very loyal people. The site is really great and of course I like the blogs about books and movies the most.

I got to know the community through the most famous name: Hilarie Burton. In fact, it was just curiosity that I wanted to know what she is doing after One Tree Hill, but as cineast I was stuck (in addition her favorite book is probably “Dandelion Wine”, that is my all-time-favorite!)

P&M: As cineasts we have to ask you: In your opinion, why should there be more independent movies?

L: I think independent movies should get much more support. (On the other hand) they are so special, because the content matters most and there often isn't a strict schedule due to a scarcity of funds. But after the release they should get much more attention. This “production company” is quite small and therefore we can look behind the scenes and I find this very interesting and I am so fascinated about SoGoPro.

P&M: Has SoGoPro inspired you for a work? Maybe not so easy in business studies.

L: I have used the SoGoPro Logo as inspiration for an art homework a year ago.

P&M: What was this homework about?

L: We had to build a picture out of words. Simple spoken, kind of this: http://www.die-hochzeitsmanager.de/galerie/Karten/slides/Einladung%20Herz%20aus%20Worten%20Perle%20weiss.jpg If I remember right, I have used the SoGoPro Logo with a quote from Ray Bradbury.

P&M: That's very interesting. I would never get such an idea. An additional question concerning your great photos on our Flickr site. I don't tell you a secret by saying that we, Miryam and I, have found a lot of treasures there and also used them for our own galleries. I'm sure other members did the same. But you surely know better than us. How do you got in touch with photography? And to which extend do you practice your hobby?

L: I think, I got in touch with photography through my journeys. When you see other landscapes and cultures you would like to hold it in some way. Then you start to be interested in photos made by other people and try to get same good pictures, too. I would like to add, that I have started last august a 365 days project: http://knownaslauren.tumblr.com/ I am just a hobby photographer trying to get better and better, because I'm loving it ;)

P&M: Laura, thank you so much for the interview and the insights. We are even more thankful due to the fact that we know you're having your exams right now. We'll keep our fingers crossed that you get the most available points. And we would love to see some new photos from you :)

Musicopedia: Cher

2011-07-07T05:03:00.001-07:00

Definitely one of the most charismatic women in show business (and one with the highest amount of surgical interferences so even Heidi Montag can't compare...) and still on top of her competition. Wondering, what she will shock her fans with next, but it is always a pleasure to listen to her songs no matter what decade they are from. We all remember her walking half naked on board of marine ship singing in front thousands of marine officers or dressed up as Elvis in on of her videos. No matter what she does or what she wears she's a perfect chameleon and performer. A true star was born as Cherilyn Sarkisian, but we all know her by Cher.

Starting in the early 60s, her career went through Sonny & Cher duo, movie roles, tv shows and glamorous solo singer career she expanded after breaking up with Sonny Bono. Her stage presence changed with each record or project so it was hard to keep track with star's changing looks. One thing's for sure - she knew how to get attention in her very little attire.
But, that's the Cher we all know and love. She sold millions of albums worldwide, has a successful movie carreer (Mask, Mermaids, Silkwood, Good Times) and also TV appearances (Will & Grace and her own tv shows). Movie Moonstruck brought Oscar Academy Award for Cher for best supporting role, but Cher was also nominated for her other roles. She was also awarded with Golden Globes awards as well as Emmy Awards. Her beginning as the solo artist was not much of a success at first, but after The Sonny & Cher Show everything turned out perfectly apart from her marriage to Sonny Bono that ended after 13 years together. Shortly after that she was married to Gregg Allmann from Allmann Brothers Band but that didn't last either. She was romancitally linked to many men in show business.Well, still is.

Sonny & Cher released their first album around summer of 1965 that brought one of their most memorable songs I Got You Babe. By the time Cher was only 19 years old and their singles were top rated on most music charts. With increasing popularity the duo recieved many tv invitations and travelled the world touring. Even Cher herself released a successful solo albums that made it to top in Billboard charts. However, uprising new wave and psychodelic rock genres were significant danger to their soft pop-rock-folkish music style. As quick as they peaked the top they fell down. As a solution they decided to travel around resorts and entertain people which led them to audition in talent contests. The couple landed their first tv gig and debuted their very first tv show The Sonny & Cher Witty Gritty Hour. The show impressed CBS enough to give them primetime with Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour where they hosted Tina Turner, Steve Martin, The Supremes and many more great artists of all time. The show itself was a hit and Cher was honored with the Emmy Award. As their tv career sprung the duo went back to the music studio working successfully on new top rated singles. Cher followed her gut by chasing a dream of becoming a solo artist and in the end she and Sonny Bono parted ways professionally and personally. Her solo album Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves was full of great hit songs and so were her next recordings. Cher was an often guest in tabloids around the country that commented on her personal fasion style as she turned out to be trendsetter of belly buttons and ecclectic, hippie style to it. She was also named the worst dressed for three decades in a row. She still holds the record.

Cher's passion for music was changed into passion for acting and her movie roles gained a lot of positive feedback from the critics. She's still making movies, however her latest flick Burlesque had such a terrible plot, not even Cher's singing could save it.

In 1999 she released her best selling single and recording in history Believe. Despite hitting retirement for 3 years after her Farewell Tour, Cher came back in business with a series of Las Vegas performances with the famous Caesar's Palace that lasted from 2008 to Feb 2011. She proved she still got it, despite being over 60 years old. She still holds a record for #1 single in each decade since the 60s on at least one Billboard chart. For her Burlesque song You Haven't Seen The Last of Me she was awarded for best original song with Golden Globe award.

Apart from complicated personal life, the deep contralto voice singer still amazes when on stage and many recent 'artist' could look to her on how to perform without dressing like a Mickey Mouse.

Let's recall some great songs and performances from Cher (then and now)!

Early Cher ...

Cher back in a day...

Cher in 2008 (this is how you perform at the age over 60...)

xx,

Kasia

Behind The Scenes With .... Karen Gardner

2011-07-02T00:20:00.000-07:00

We are happy to host - Karen Gardner! You all remember Karen from KT’s vlog interviews where she shared with us her scope of work as Production Secretary Extraordinaire. Now, with season 9 of One Tree Hill in progress we have Karen back in the production office to learn what happened since we’ve first met her!

Kasia: Welcome back, Karen! Nice to have you back here with the SoGoPro Street Team and it’s ever growing community!
Annie: Karen, can you just explain to us, and for those who may have missed the vlog interview what your role is within the Screen Gems Production Office?
Karen: I work in the One Tree Hill Production Office which is located on the Screen Gems Studios Lot. We are kind of the hub of the production... a lot of info gets passed through us.

Kasia: What made you go for a career in tv/movie production ? How did a major in Business Management turn into a film making?
Karen: I have to say it was never my career plan to be in tv/movie production. I knew nothing about it and honestly fell into it. I’m not involved in the creative aspect of the show(s) (which everyone should be thankful for) so in a way I’m still using my business degree. It’s just all about being organized and willing to work hard... it doesn’t really matter what your degree is.
Kasia: True, you might not be involved in creative issues but organizing the whole filming process is crucial when there’s a lot of going on and sometimes you need to be creatively thinking to get things done! So, it’s a different creative aspect!

Annie: Karen were there/are there any members of the cast of OTH that you had already worked with or met ii a previous life? I have a hunch that you and Hilarie Burton may have crossed paths at some stage...care to share?
Karen: I did work for Hilarie’s publicist in NYC “back in the day” and we crossed paths a couple times, although she probably doesn’t remember :)

Kasia: Little Bird told us that your first interview for job with OTH was with Kathy Rayle who also appeared in Kt's vlog. Was it tough in the interview with her?
Karen: No! Kathy is the best! She’s so easy to talk to and it didn’t feel like an interview. We love her :)
Kasia: Hey, no flattering!(laugh)

Kasia: It's been almost a year since we last heard from you, so tell us if you have travelled anywhere in the meantime for pleasure?
Karen: I didn’t have any big trips this hiatus... time flew by. It wasn’t a far trip but I did visit Savannah, GA for the first time and had a blast! I loved it there!

Annie: So, from the vlog, we know you are really very well traveled, I guess you speak some foreign languages? Whats your favourite language, come on now, give us a few sentences in your foreign language fetish!
Karen: I don’t speak any foreign language...and some would say I can barely speak English! I wish I spoke other languages, it was just never something I picked up. I took Latin in High School, so you can imagine the use I got out of that - and in college I took Italian which I loved but have never kept up with it and don’t really remember anything.

Annie: Italian is a beautiful language! That’s funny about the Latin, I studied it too actually for a period of time in High school, I always thought it was a punishment. Not sure its relevant but we had a fabulous rhyme that was usually chanted before, during and after class, “latin is a language as dead as dead can be, it killed the Roman boys and girls and now its killing me” enough said! Kasia: I like Italian .... coffee.

Kasia: In the office, how do you handle stressful situations when something is not going as planned (like your favorite FedEx , or airlines issues for location shoots)?
Karen: I usually get red and blotchy and laugh. I’m pretty sure it’s completely inappropriate and unprofessional but it’s my natural response :)

Annie: Speaking of logistical nightmares, II guess you were lucky enough to be in Utah, and Puerto Rico for OTH filming; tell us a little about how that worked out for you?
Karen: Ohh and don’t forget about the bustling city of Honey Grove, TX :) I feel very lucky that I was able to go to these places (for free) that I would have prob never visited otherwise. I’ve always heard great things about Park City, UT but I’m not sure I would have ever planned a trip there. I absolutely LOVED it!!! We had the best time snowmobiling and Kelly and I snuck off and did the Olympic bobsled... just things that I would never do otherwise.

Annie: Puerto Rico - official languages are English and Spanish. A lot of SGP street teamers are not native English speakers, so apart from being sheer paradise, how challenging was it communicating in a different language for work, rather than throwing together enough phrase book Spanish to ask for more than just a beer?
Karen: The language barrier wasn’t much of a problem. We hired a local that works in production offices down there and she was very helpful with the other locals that didn’t speak English (and she taught us dirty Spanish sayings:)). The hardest part as far as being in Puerto Rico was the driving!!! Kelly and I had a Jeep Wrangler as a rental and whipped that thing all around the island picking up things for the crew that we weren’t able to ship and traffic there was terrifying! They don’t really have the same laws/rules so there were quite a few honks honked and me screaming. But we survived. Kelly has counted 5 times that I’ve almost killed him in a car... I think that after 6 years that’s not that bad... right?
Annie: Note to self - say NO to Karen where 4 wheeled vehicles are concerned!
Kasia: So now you can go and audition for Fast And Furious 6 with ease!

Kasia: You said before that filming on location is even more work that on set shooting. What is the biggest challenge when it comes to work outside the office and studio?
Karen: You basically have to set up a mobile office where ever you are going. It’s your job[Image] to make sure the crew has everything they need and so it takes weeks of planning and things change constantly so you just have to stay on top of it and make sure that when you get to that mobile office it runs as smoothly as it would here in Wilmington.

Annie: In the interview we had with Kelly a little while ago, when we asked how he felt about the last season of OTH wrapping, his answer was “Honestly - we’re all geared to the film/tv/gypsy lifestyle. I’ll miss Mark Schwahn and Joe Davola the most when we break camp. Yes - 100’s of technicians and actors in limbo again - but strong bonds have been formed... oh - and maybe I’ll miss a couple of the actors...”. How do you see things going for you, once OTH wraps?
Karen: It’s true what he said... I’ve been very lucky and for the past 6 years I’ve had a steady job and OTH has always come back... I haven’t had to look for anything else. It will be difficult but it’s the nature of this industry, it is what it is and you can’t be in it if you aren’t prepared to deal with that. I think I would hate a 9-5 job thinking “this is where I’m going to be 20 years from now?” Personally, I like the not knowing what’s next.

Kasia: Where do you see yourself in a few years time? In production or something else (but still film/tv related)? What is your ultimate career goal?
Karen: I have no goals :) Seriously. I’m a bit of a gypsy and go with the flow, I don’t like concrete plans.. it freaks me out.

Annie: If you had to rat someone out, who is the biggest Diva in the production office or beyond?
Karen: The copier....I hate that thing!

Annie: Got to ask, the question that kills, but do you have a favourite Character in OTH, and you can’t say anyone under the age of 10!
Karen: I was always a fan of the Brooke and Julian storyline. I like them a lot in real life so I’m always rooting for them.

Annie: If you could choose to work with anyone anywhere in the world, who would it be, where would it be and why?
Karen: I love me some Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs... I think he’s such a hottie and soo funny. I also love Jon Stewart. I have a thing for old funny men...I swear its not a daddy issue thing, I don’t think. :)

Kasia: Do you happen to follow SoGoPro website or the Street Team blog? What’s your favorite part of SoGoPro and its community?
Karen: I sure do know how to Internet shop but I’m not very Internet savvy. I don’t follow anyone on twitter or anything but I do check in on the website from time to time. It’s been great to see Kelly and Hilarie start this company and see how the fans have been so supportive.

Annie: Ok, so I have been reliably informed that nothing is off limits with you, which I think is admirable, so what had been your most embarrassing moment in the film industry to date?
Karen: You know we have this discussion a lot with Kathy Rayle over dinners, our most embarrassing moment ever, and I can’t think of one! People say I don’t embarrass easily so maybe that’s it. I say really inappropriate things a lot and sometimes go... “Whoopsie was that too far?” That can be embarrassing.

Kasia: SoGoPro brings up a lot of interesting literature, music, theater to the table. Can you share your favorite authors/artists/titles with us?
Karen: I pretty much just copy whatever Little Leigh is reading :). She made me read Harry Potter (no one try and kill me, but me no likey) however I did enjoy The Hunger Games, Girl with a Dragon Tattoo, Chelsea Handler’s books :), and right now I’m reading Room. I do loooovvve me some musical theater also, it’s one of the things I miss the most about living in NYC.

Annie: Is there anything you want to tell us about any addictive habits you have, um, I don’t know, gambling??????
Karen: Gambling for sure! When we were in Puerto Rico you could always find me at the tables with the Producers, I convince myself it was a bonding technique...my parents are very proud :). I also pick my face a lot (ewww, I know). Kelly and Leigh put pepper on my desk and told me if they caught me picking my face I had to eat the pepper. I just went to the bathroom and picked it. :) Ok see now you are just freaking me out, ick, ick and double ick, face picking? Really? As for the gambling, I would be proud too, just hope you weren’t betting the same amounts as the producers!

Kasia: Now that you’re in the business that is dominated by men tell us what a girl’s got to do to be appreciated and treated equally? What would be your advice for girls working in men’s environment?
Karen: I’ve never felt that because I’m a girl people have treated me differently... maybe it’s the guys I work with or I’m too oblivious to notice! Our Warner Bros Executive is a woman and we have women writers, producers, department heads. At least here at OTH I feel like women are treated equally, they are just as smart, just as funny, and just as creative as any of the men. I think as long as you believe it in yourself that you are capable as any man, they will believe it also...and if they don’t...screw ‘em (not literally) :)

Kasia: It seems there is a lot of paperwork and fax/mail/shipping to do during the production and filming process. I can’t imagine how you manage to keep everything running smoothly! How long did it take you to learn how it is all done?
Karen: You are definitely thrown in the fire and it’s a learning process throughout the years. There’s never a time when you go, “now I know it all”.

Kasia: I must say I’m pretty impressed on how well you handle working late hours considering you start your work day really early (most of us usually flip over to another side in beds) . *Annie :Speak for yourself, K* What’s your secret ? *Kasia: Oh, shoosh!*
Karen: Ha, there is no secret. We don’t even have the worst hours on the show! You can never complain to a Teamster or someone in the AD dept because they have been there 2 hours before you got in and they are still there when you leave :). We all look pretty rough and worn out most of the time... we look forward to the Wrap/Christmas parties when we can wear dresses and look like real girls. It is what it is and, to be honest, you just get used to it.

Karen it has been fabulous hearing from you, thanks so much for taking the time out to join our random world and give us a few interesting tid bits, enjoy the shoots for Season 9 and come back and visit some time!

Special Feature Interview with Aniiyy!

2011-06-22T05:46:00.000-07:00

Aniiyy

Peter & Miryam: When did you start to write and since when did you know you wanted to become an author?

Aniiyy: Hi Peter, Hi Miry! Hmm when did I want to become an author? That's a tough one. I remember my parents bought me this story maker computer CD when I was about 6 and you could write stories and create illustrations with them and music so I think that’s when I started writing stories. Then in 2005/6 I went on holiday to see my cousin and I really didn't like her, but I was there for 6 weeks and the only thing keeping me sane was writing because in Kenya there is not much to do. And when I got back I typed it up and wanted to keep writing it so I could just finish it but I never finished and then of course OTH season 5 started a few years later (I think it was 2008) and I saw Lucas had achieved his dream of writing and becoming an author and so I thought why not? I love writing stories, I want to do English Lit as a degree why not turn it into something more...right? I mean who doesn’t want a career that they would enjoy everyday?

Peter & Miryam: Oh, what a story! Sounds like a really cool CD you got there. You mentioned that you never finished that story you started in Kenya, but now you finished “For Our Daughters,” how come? And how long did it take you to write it? Did you write it in one go, or how did the process go?

Aniiyy: Well if you talk to anyone who knows me well the one thing hate doing unless I really have to is planning. That is what I didn’t do for my first story and all my other ones. I hadn’t planned them. Therefore I just wrote and had no clue where I was going. Sometimes that is a good thing but most times you get stuck which is what happened to me. When writing “For Our Daughters” I knew what I wanted to write and how I wanted to end and what I wanted to happen in each chapter so then I wrote it all out in a detailed plan before I started writing. Also it helped that I had based it OTH for those who haven’t realised. HAHA.

It took me just under a year to write, see exam time and exam time I get really inspired to write and not revise, just like my exam time now. I started writing it and for many of you who know I wrote about 80 pages before I redrafted the whole thing.Then I kept adding to it cause I wanted the relationship between the other characters to grow as well so I just kept writing till I could write no more.

Peter & Miryam: Well, it sounds pretty structured. You had written a plan, mapping out the story and went on to drafting the story. Sounds organized. And a novel in a year sounds pretty good!

It sounds like One Tree Hill has played a major role throughout your entire writing process. Did you get most of your inspiration from there as well? Or what inspires you?

Aniiyy: One Tree Hill has inspired a lot, I do get a lot of it from there but I think all TV shows help because I look at the story lines and see what I would have written and what I wanted to happen which didn’t so I just write from there. I think it OTH plays a major part cause it is my favourite show. I’m also inspired by things I read like FanFictions or people’s life stories from LoveGivesMeHope and KidsGiveMeHope. They really inspire me as well.

Peter & Miryam: So if you write, are you writing bearing in mind which audience you want to write for or is that irrelevant to your writing? And when you’re writing something, are you thinking about how the reader might react?

Aniiyy: I am a bit which is why I give it to people to read, however I was reading a blog by Meg Cabot (Author of the Princess Diaries series) and she said write a book you would read because if you won’t read it what makes you think your audience will? Therefore I am looking at how I am writing it and getting others to read it so I can see how people will react and I love people’s ideas and what they think so I can incorporate their ideas as well.

Peter & Miryam: That sounds like a very good approach. Before you mentioned that you get stuck while writing once in a while. How do you handle those writer’s blocks?

Aniiyy: Oh My Gosh! Writer’s block is the worst, there is never a set way of getting over it. Sometimes I just start writing other things and try and incorporate it into what I’ve written or I ask people that I trust what they would like to see and go at it that way. Sometimes even song lyrics can help, somehow Kate Voegele’s songs are the ones that inspire me most but it might be that I always have her album on repeat. But like I said there is no set way of recovering from it and it is different for different people, but talking to people really helps.

Peter & Miryam: Talking to people always seems to be a good way. That also leads us directly to the next question: it seems like not only OTH but also SoGoPro has been a part of your process. Your current editor for example is one of our Team Members and you had a contest going on here, asking people for ideas for a book cover. Would you like to elaborate a bit on that and give us a little feeling for what SoGoPro meant to you in this case?

Aniiyy: Well for those who haven’t read the blog I wrote a while back the SoGoPro family has made me feel like I belong somewhere. I’m going to quote Haley from OTH 4x13 because she pretty much sums up how I feel outside the virtual world... “Sometimes I feel incredibly disconnected, uncomfortable in my own skin. Kind of like I don't fit into this world. Like I was born at the wrong time, and I don't belong.” Now I didn’t quote Haley looking for sympathy because I am now going to quote something Hilarie blogged a while back on SoGoPro because she describes the community here perfectly, “We all have our weak spots. We're all strange or different or lonely or searching in a way. And that’s what makes us a unit. A bunch of misfit strangers, brought together by this safety zone of creative tolerance.” Hilarie has summed us up perfectly which is why I feel comfortable on SoGoPro and that I knew that people weren’t going to judge me for what I wrote or did. For example when I asked people at school all they wanted was their face on the cover or a character named after them, they didn’t see that I had done this out of love of writing, which the SoGoPro community did. Also the team members have become amazing friends of mine and even though we live in different countries I know I can rely on them to be true and honest and not want to contribute for the fame side of it but for the love of creativity.

Peter & Miryam: That is so beautifully said, thank you for that! It is really amazing to see all of this happening!

Now that your work is finally done, you’re in the process of publishing it. At one point you even thought about self-publishing it. Could you tell us a bit more about your journey?

Aniiyy: Ha well this might take a while so don’t say I didn’t warn you...

Well I first finished my book in about December time and then I found out it was too short to get published (it needs to be between 50,000 and 70,000 words) so I re-wrote the last chapter, because it was in the first person, so I re-wrote it to the third person. I then wanted to add more about Amy and Grace’s life when they move so I added the various scenes in there so you get to see more about Grace’s relationship with Jack and Amy’s with various other characters. I also wanted the readers to see scenes with the other less significant characters to see how they played a role in the final decision making of Max and Amy.

I then went a read though it all again...about five times, before I printed off a copy for me to see like what it would be in print, just so I could get a feel of it. Many of you have seen the covers I made and so I wanted to see what they would look like as well, so if I would need to change it or not (which I did, thus the contest). After showing it to my dad, he took it to work and someone at his work said they could print off 100 copies for a decent price and I could sell them myself retaining all profits. I knew 100 copies would be easy to shift, not because I was cocky, but because my teachers had wanted many copies for the school and many girls had wanted copies as well as my friends and family. However when it came down to the self-publishing part I couldn’t do it. Why? Because of the money. I was relying on pre-orders to help fund the cost of printing however, since I had none that wasn’t really helping. Furthermore for those who don’t know, I am going on holiday to Australia this summer and my parents had just paid over £2000 for a trip I had been wanting to go on forever so I really felt like I couldn’t ask them as they had just made one of my dreams come true. Therefore I thought I would do it myself. However another hurdle came upon me...University. As I am starting university in October I needed to book my accommodation which cost me £200 booking fee. My parents said I had to pay this for the reason that they are paying for all my other uni expenses, which is fair enough, so I paid that which now leaves me with a balance of less that £10 therefore I have no money to self publish. Although I do have a job it pays minimum wage and I only work 4 hours a week so it doesn’t bring in much, plus I have to spend it on other necessities e.g school stuff.

So I thought why not go the traditional method? I know that it is hard but once you are in you are in for life right? So I’ve written to I don’t know how many publishers and agents and I am waiting for a reply. I’ve had many rejections but so did J.K. Rowling and Stephanie Meyers right?

Peter & Miryam: So true. And you show such a huge determination. Seems like the publishing process is a journey for itself! For the people who maybe don’t quite know how the publishing process works, could you maybe go a bit more into detail about how self-publishing differs from being published. What are the steps you have to go through to get your work published?

Aniiyy: This is a toughie, I have learnt a lot form this process. There are 2 types of publishing (well 3 but I shall explain). The first is traditional publishing where you write to various publishing houses/agents sending them your book/idea and basically trying to sell it to them so they take it up and then send it to the big publishers for them to print and sell. From that you get the relevant commission as set up in your contract and so does your agent.

The second is self publishing which basically means you become a mini business where you pay for printing etc and then it is up to you to get it into stores etc, this is much harder however if successful you get a higher return, but places are less likely to take a self published writer as they do not know if they are going to sell or not as they do not have the backing or a reliable source (i.e. an agent)

There is another method called Vanity Publishing...DO NOT FALL INTO THIS TRAP. This is when a company will take your book and ask you to pay them to do everything for you...this is called a llegal scam, because although they follow through they aren’t like an adgent who will help with promotions etc, they will get it out there and leave it, and you won’t necessarily get your moneys worth. And from the amazing Jodi Picoult herself, “You are right to NOT publish with a vanity press - if you do, it will be much harder for you to ever get a publishing contract with a big house.” (that was from an email she sent me *fan girl swoon*) haha.

I hope this helps

Secret Santa Gift

Peter & Miryam: Wow, that sound very serious and tough. Seems like you really did your research on that ;)

Are you working on a new project already?

Aniiyy: Well like I said exam time is when I get most motivated and inspired to write. I already have a few story lines up my sleeve however I have some other background things I’m working on. For those of you who don’t have me on twitter you may have not seen my recent tweets on needing help on script writing. I am trying to write my first script but it is pretty hard, however I am using the same story line and writing it as a book version which is a bit easier but I really would like it to be a script, but who knows. Also I am helping my friend write her first novel, it is actually a fanfiction she has written and it is doing very well and I am trying to convince her to work on it as an actual novel. However I do have some news since I last talked to you. Laura McCann knows because she’s been a star and said she will try and help but I know she is busy, so that is fine. I got an email from a Publishing House I wrote to and they are very interested in “For Our Daughters” however they feel due to the fact I have too many flashbacks the audience are not getting to know the characters well enough so if I can amend that they would like to draw up a contract with me...so who knows, but at this point with finals coming up I’m pretty swamped with that, but who knows I have a 26 hour plane journey, a lot can happen in 26 hours.

Peter & Miryam: That is so fantastic news, congratulations. How do you feel about changing your work towards what they are asking for? Is that ok for you? And can you imagine yourself writing for the screen and novels or would you like to focus on one or the other?

Aniiyy: I was a bit wary at first, that may be why I am not writing much atm, but then I have exams as well. However I am trying to ammend it however it is really hard for me because I wanted the flashbacks to show how they go to where they are now and how Max’s and Amy’s past decisions affected their new ones. But I’m adjusting to it but it does mean I lose a lot of words so it may take longer than anticipated. Well I am working on a screenplay and a few other novels. I do not want to restrict myself to just novels just yet so I shall see. However the screenplay I am writing I am also writing it like a novel so I do have both options.

Peter & Miryam: Yes, I guess it is difficult to find the balance between staying true to your own work and also adjusting it far enough to get published. I guess that’s the beauty of self- publishing and independent companies such as SoGoPro, where you have more power over your artwork.

Aniiyy: Ah yes, but like I mentioned before, self publishing, although can be very rewarding if done well, is hard to do well in unless you have amazing contacts which is something I don’t have. So I think I’m going to stick with traditional publishing and hope that I get a good agent who will let me have a say in my book, even if it is something small, fingers crossed.

Peter & Miryam: Yes, fingers crossed. We wish you all the best with it. But I’m sure you’ll keep us updated, right? Thank you so much for this great interview, it was a pleasure talking to you.

Aniiyy: Of course I will, to be honest SoGoPro cbox is the first place I come to when I get good news. Thank you Peter and Miryam for choosing me for this interview and I shall let you know how it goes =) *hug*

Audio Blog Talk: Moon Scars

2011-06-16T04:49:00.000-07:00

Quick bit before I start...

Hi Guys Aniiyy or Anika here. 2000 of us around the world have been picked to help Peter Facinelli (Carlisle from the Twilight series) help raise money for Alex's Lemonade Stand (Google if you do not know what it is). This is an amazing cause and a great sponsor has said that they will donate $50k to Alex's Lemonade stand. Each of us have donated a photo of us which has been transformed into a vampire. In order for the sponsor to donate the $50k they would like the overall hits of the photos to be at least 2 million. So here is my photo (http://taps.la/iesBVv ) please view it as many time as you want, and share it because the quicker we get the views the quicker the money will be donated. There is a prize for the photo with the most views but because I live outside of the USA I cannot win it, please do not think I am doing this just for the prize. It won't cost you a penny, so please click on the link (http://taps.la/iesBVv ) and try and get my views up

Thanks...

Now onto the Book Talk...Enjoy x

Link for Moon Scars: http://bit.ly/eksQaZ

Street Team Interview - Mr Kelly Tenney

2011-06-09T22:44:00.000-07:00

Annie: Hey guys, so after so many interesting interviews of late, we thought we would keep the ball rolling with someone who has (so far) managed to escape the Street Team interview! So it’s crunch time and Kasia and I are delighted to have Kelly Tenney with us for the interview series. It is an especially busy time right now for SGP , KT and allies, with presumably lots of juggling going on so we are really delighted Kelly agreed to take the time to answer our questions!

Kasia: Our standard interview question is how people discovered SoGoPro, but this time we ask how SGP found you and what made you decide to get involved and become a co-owner? (Apart from Hilarie’s charm, of course *laughs*).

KT: Wow - way to ask the tough questions right up front! To put it in context, we need to go back to OTH Season 1: it was a huge challenge for Hilarie. She worked just about 7 days a week, between MTV and OTH. I was responsible for (among other things) getting her to and from her gig in NYC... She was a trooper and did what was asked of her uncomplainingly but if I had a chance to give her a break -I tried my best to work the logistics to give her breathing room. Obviously - a lot of communication. Sometimes a mutual trust and respect happens - we started talking about projects beyond OTH that inspired us. By Season 5, the OTH rollercoaster had us all giving serious consideration to other irons in the fire - and SoGoPro incorporated... and the rest is history.
Seems like you both ‘clicked’ from the start! What a beautiful beginning of a friendship-turned-partnership!

Annie: Its pretty amazing when things just snowball like that isn’t it? Thank goodness for irons in the fire, as we all love SGP, and without it, the community we have all built just simply wouldn’t exist. However I was wondering, do you sometimes think you underestimated the workload of a such a company especially whilst all of you work full on with (sometimes multiple) “real” jobs?

KT: HECK YES we underestimated! (*snip rant about getting cornered into interviews*) We’ve all been thrown some unforeseen curve balls - time and energy to pursue SoGoPro projects get sidelined. Honestly - we started our SoGoPro social media stream thinking of it as a one-way output channel. We’ve learned it can be so much more - the momentum of the SoGoPro Street Team (each of you with your own curve balls *sorry old umpire influences*) have kept us in the game and doing what we can. It will take us a little longer to achieve some of our goals but we’re confident this team has legs.

Annie: Ok, so now that you have just reminded us that even in Wilmywood things are not necessarily that easy, what aspects of setting up and following through with SoGoPro have been the most challenging, rewarding and down right nerve wracking?

KT: Most Rewarding - absolutely sharing Hil’s creative strengths
Most Challenging - frigging website and t-shirts
Down Right Nerve Wracking - right this minute: SAG contracts for The Weather Channel

Annie: Well clearly one of the best placed to witness and enjoy Hilarie’s creative strengths is you, and that’s just another reason to follow your instincts and see things through isn’t it? Sounds like the old t-shirt drama gave you all a few headaches, as for the website... errrm, we know there is a lot of behind the scenes work that goes on to keep it all functioning and up to date!
Kasia: I’m guessing I won’t be ordering any t-shirts soon since you might hold it against me :-)
Heck no, Kasia - now that we’re actually running (mostly) smoothly with t-shirts we appreciate every sale. I’ll keep that in mind! (laughs)

Kasia: You work in tv series production, but do you have favorite tv shows of your own?
KT: I’m a difficult tv viewer, I don’t get really involved in characters... Because of the nature of this industry I time-shift a lot of what/when I watch: I’ll watch some scripted shows like; True Blood (note to self don’t watch this show on a airplane, lots of weird glances), Glee (guilty pleasure) but enjoy and watch every episode of Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations and Chef Ramsay’s many shows. Both of those characters are pretty fun to watch... just got involved in BBC’s Merlin and Scarlet Pimpernel, Robin Hood was a bust. Most everything on the History Channel... I like to know why and how previous civilizations and societies flourish and eventually fail. All programs on religion and it’s historical impact on the human race get my attention too, like the Naked Archaeologist.

Annie: There really is something pretty colourful about Gordon Ramsay shows, probably his language (!) amongst other things, but it is a show you can just pick up easily without too much of a headache ! Speaking of pick ups, delighted to see there is to be a Season 9 of OTH, but do you think professionally you will be happy to see this last season wrap so that you can move on to new projects? What are you going to miss the most?
KT: Honestly - we’re all geared to the film/tv/gypsy lifestyle. I’ll miss Mark Schwahn and Joe Davola the most when we break camp. Yes - 100’s of technicians and actors in limbo again - but strong bonds have been formed... oh - and maybe I’ll miss a couple of the actors... :-)

Annie: Do you think there is any scope for SoGoPro to work with Mark at a later stage, maybe ?
KT: Not sure of SoGoPro working with Mark but you never know. It’s a strange dance that happens when creatives mix, Hilarie and I work very well together especially when we write or develop a project, Mark on the other hand is more of a lone wolf, he tends to write with his voice. Obviously he has many scripts that he wants to write and get developed into film and tv series and if I find the right project I’m sure that he would help us if he could.

Kasia: You showed SoGoPro fans how it is to work behind the scenes but we’d love to know how did you even start working in film and tv? How did it all begin?
KT: I’ve always wanted to work in film, even when I was a child (no... really), I loved watching movies (that was about all I was allow to watch, my Mother was strict about the tv, basically never, however she did send me to the matinees every Saturday to watch the latest children’s movie) and wanted to be part of that world. I really did believe that I would work with John Wayne one day... alas ... [I was lucky enough to work with Roscoe Lee Browne (starred with John Wayne in The Cowboys) on Morgan’s Ferry. Roscoe was so nice and answered all my million questions about The Duke that I threw at him.] Anyway, the New York state college I had been accepted to only offered performing arts, no film studies, (I came from a lower middle class home and paying for school fell on my shoulders, so no NYU for me) I went the directing/producing route in theatre. At the end of my senior year I did a internship at a local tv station (Channel 6) in Schenectady NY, hoping that I would be able to segue into tv production through them. While interning I met my dear friend, Garrett McCarey who also worked at the station as a cameraman/editor. Garrett only worked there for a few months before landing a job running a tv station in Massachusetts. [Also, while working at the station I met Rick Herman whose stepfather is Robert Girolami (Bobby G.!) - who later became my mentor when I moved to North Carolina.] I did land a job at Channel 6 after graduating college but not in the area that I was trying for. I was the maintenance man... not exactly what I wanted to do... I was able to write copy for local commercials and tag along with the production staff to watch when I wasn’t mowing grass or emptying trash baskets. Pretty low time... Garrett reached out to me and brought me over to his station and we were able to get a couple of productions made. That’s when I really developed live directing and editing skills. It was great experience but still not what I had envisioned when I was in college, I was gonna be directing and producing in no time, I thought and probably said out loud to my fellow mates. Lord, how many times have I heard those same words from so many different people over the years... Well, no time turned into several years of trying to find my way. Bob G. (Bobby G.!) had moved down to Wilmington, NC during this time to work on “Young Indy” series and invited me to visit him. I fell in love with the area and couldn't wait to get back and try my hand at “real” production work. I moved to Wilmington without a job but with Bob’s blessing. Started driving a truck to make ends meet. Fortunately, that was only was for a short time because Bob’s brother, Lou landed a show for CBS, “The Road Home”, and he gave me a shot as a production assistant in the production office... [OK - that’s enough typing about that!]
Annie: Pretty epic story Kelly, and great for us to hear how it all evolved for you. Hard work, determination, opportunities and a little bit of ‘right time - right place’ certainly seemed to work for you, perhaps that will inspire a few of our own team members.

Kasia: So, if you weren’t working in the film industry what do you think would be your profession?
KT: I would loved to have owned a restaurant. Not a take-out one though... (no delivery bikes) Of course, my hat goes off to Loic who has a successful restaurant and still finds time to have hobbies such as mountain biking and such. I would probably be a better silent partner in one... finding the great chef, the constant turnover in staff, all the government bureaucracy and such would probably make me drink up all the profits... :-)
Kasia: But, you bike, too - there’s a chance you might handle running a restaurant and having a life. Maybe Loic could share some advice what’s his secret?
Annie: One word - spandex (for the cycling not the cooking......)

Kasia: Music is also a big (huge!) part of SoGoPro and its community. We all share our thoughts, reviews and recommendations. We learn what each of us likes (or not!) and encourage others to try and discover new things. Is there an artist/band that you’d like to share with the community to give us an insight what kind of music you like?

KT: For the most part I’m still stuck in the 80’s (just ask the ladies in my office) Bon Jovi, Billy Joel, Bob Seger, Meatloaf, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Styx to name a few, okay maybe even Loverboy. With that said, I do love all kinds of music, from classical, jazz to country and even pop. It’s the media that speaks to us all no matter what age or where we’re from, international. (By the way, I watched Eurovision finals for the first time this year and was totally blown away by the scope!)

Kasia: What a wonderful taste in music! The Eurovision contest is not that terrible but without some horrible performances it wouldn’t be so fun to watch!

Annie: As a wise woman once said of Eurovision, ‘its a logistical nightmare’ but honestly it ranges from the fun to the surreal and you need the surreal as an escape route. So, as we all hope we bring a little bit of the surreal to your day Kelly what do you think are the most valuable things you have learned from us, the SoGoPro Street Team?

KT: How unselfish, generous and totally supportive of SoGoPro that all of you are. Anytime I can pop into chat and have a conversation with anyone who’s in there... everybody is so friendly and supportive, I wish we could do more to give back.

Kasia: In my opinion you really make effort to share with us all the behind the scene stuff - the interviews, updates - it all matters and we are truly grateful you interact with us as often as you can! We had Hilarie reading and recommending books for the SoGoPro book club that fans found really interesting and enjoyable. So, now, use your poetic magic and skills to describe SGP in a few short phrases.

KT: Dang, this is a really tough question... (never knew I had “poetic magic”!) A production company that tries to look beyond the product by interacting with those who believe in us...

So where is Nick these days? Haven’t seen him for ages! Did you part ways or is he busy with his own projects?

KT: Nick continues to write and work his craft. We haven’t been actively coming up with new projects as SGP. I’ve been trying to get the ones we have completed or our best ideas into the right hands that might get us a pickup or pilot. I know that he’s had several pieces accepted into script writing contests and will be very successful as a writer... that man IS a very talented wordsmith!

Annie: Insofar as reassurance goes, people don’t tend to stick around to support something long term if they don’t find that something that makes them want to come back. Its not just about the content of the site, but now so many of the Streeteam are real friends... that’s a huge strength and something you all at SGP gave to us. As SGP’s project base grows, you may have more scope for bringing in extras, as I understand you were planning for the exciting weather Channel project. We are all seriously delighted that SoGoPro has had the Weather Channel promos picked up. It sounds like you have really had to send in the cavalry in order to get this all sorted. So when the call came and the job was SGP’s who was the first person you called?

KT: Well, Alicia and Hilarie at about the same time... I needed to get the budget sorted and
Hilarie involved in the casting. *Cue random vision of KT with two cell phones to both ears, whilst quietly dancing around with joy!*

Kasia: Maybe if everything runs smoothly it would turn into a long term gig and you’d be hired to do autumn/winter (and other) promos as well. And, if you get really good recommendations it would open some doors for you at tv networks and such. We’re keeping our fingers crossed!
KT: I can only hope that they will all be as professional and even-keeled as The Weather Channel folks are.

Kasia: Is there a person you’d call your mentor and inspiration, someone who is your guiding light in life or work, or both?

KT: I’ve had many wonderful mentors: Garrett McCarey, Robert Girolami, Mark Schwahn, Joe Davola and Jim Dyer to name a few, all of them have moulded me into my professional image Hilarie, of course inspires me, Alicia Lowe, Lois Peters and Lance Armstrong are pretty high on this list too.

Last time we checked he (Lance) was high but on something else...

Annie: It was nice to see the industry interviews you did with Robert Girolami and I guess working in such close proximity to Joe and Mark has only increased your admiration for two very talented people. As for the ladies, well that goes without saying!
Kasia: Any news on the graphic novel? Did you find the artist to illustrate the book or is the project on hold? The SGP fans are pretty curious what’s next for SGP in the nearest future. Do you have anything planned (apart from the Weather Channel job)?

KT: Well, the graphic novel is on hold. After that debacle with the artist (to be unnamed) we all took a step back. It’s difficult to find the right talented artist that all of us can agree upon and frankly I don’t have the energy to find that soul. I’m trying to get the tv version out to contacts that I have, but it’s a pretty big project and scares most of the executives that I’ve pitched to. Never say never... With OTH wrapping this year, I’ll have more time to spend with developing projects and reaching out to friends that I’ve made over the years and pitching them some of our older projects. I feel good about the future and know that we have good, terrific projects and the talent needed to bring them together.

Kasia: I hope once your contacts find courage it will be fantastic, they just need a little faith. We also keep our fingers crossed for other projects that you have in mind. I think team work and positive attitude will get you very far!

Annie:Do you believe this to be the beginning of a new stage and maybe somehow a new direction for SoGoPro?

KT: I sure hope so, that The Weather Channel promo shoot was one of the best production experiences that I’ve had on set. Several of the crew have also mentioned that it’s been a long time since they worked on a show that was that professional and well run. Now that we have a budget template done and have SAG and the Unions on board, the next production will be a whole lot easier to land.

Annie: So the Star News Article and pictures gave us a little more of an insight into the theme behind the shoots, looks pretty fun. Is there any chance, that once all is done and dusted that you will pop them up on the website/youtube, so the friends from afar can have a peek?

KT: We absolutely hope to! [Disclaimer: While Bill Keith has graciously granted permission for us to share what we have so far, we are looking forward to receiving further publicity information from the Director of Public Relations & the Marketing Manager of Social Media for TWC.]

I would like to thank Annie for helping out with this special interview! Also, big thank you to Kelly for for sharing his stories and finding time to take part in our Sunday Street Team Interviews (and surprising SoGoPro fans!). We are all really pleased to have the opportunity to interview him, but he spends a lot of time delivering amazing behind the scenes videos and posts to SGP fans so we had to return the favour! We really hope you all enjoyed our special interview! Please feel free to share your thoughts in comment section!

Kasia and Annie

National Anthem at UML Commencement 2011

2011-05-30T15:23:00.000-07:00

Hi friends-

I just wanted to share this video with you. My two best friends and I had the pleasure of singing the National Anthem at our Commencement ceremony. The conductor of our concert band told us it was the best version he had heard in 20 years.

The arrangement is entirely ours, and was entirely improvised until we found the right chords. The most popular moment is "And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air" as we hit a seventh chord there.

I'm extremely proud of my friends and myself for being able to stand up in front of a completely filled arena- which has housed many amazing performances before ours. We're to do the same thing this coming Saturday there as well.

Naturally my intentions aren't to turn this blog into a Kendall fest- but I figured it may be entertaining for you all to see not only myself in this moment but my two best friends.

You should definitely skip ahead to minute 40 or so. It starts around 42:48 It's after the man with the pole screaming but before anyone else takes the podium.
I tried to embed it, but the best quality video available is impossible to get the code for!

You'll note the woman does not know how to pronounce my last name oh well! :)

http://gse.uml.edu/videoplayer/commencement2011.htm

I'm bass on the left, the girl in the middle is Elisabeth on melody, and Theresa on the right- is top harmony.

Love Harmonies!!! Enjoy. Feedback always welcome! It's Memorial Day so maybe it is appropriate after all :)

Can I freak out for a sec?!

2011-05-25T07:53:00.000-07:00

Hey guys-

So I once thought I was going to be able to spend a boatload of time this Summer on the blog, then my advisor basically screwed me over and failed to inform me of an outstanding missing requirement. No big deal, except it means I'm now taking 15 credits THIS SUMMER. I found this out less than a week before graduation, which by the way is Saturday...
My inbox is full of directions from all these different people about what to do that morning in order to meet for soundcheck etc. That's fine and all but look at my schedule:
Monday/Wednesday- Framingham, from 10-4 (about an hour drive each way) for my internship.
Tue/Thur- Lowell- Work 10-5 and Managerial Accounting 6-9
Every other Friday I have to be in Lowell for exams. Lowell is 1.5 hours each way!

The next two Saturdays involve me singing the national anthem at the Tsongas Center. One for Commencement the other for the Democratic Convention. I wish I lived in Lowell because it feels like my home is the highway.

Just wanted you all to know how crazy I'm going. Hope everyone isn't as busy and stressed out as I am...
<3
K

Special Feature Interview with Nicole!

2011-05-20T21:17:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

As you all know, we have been working on a little project besides the Sunday interviews ( http:/ /sogoprostreet.blogspot.com/2011/03/message-from-peter-and-miryam.html)! We plan to make this a regular. Until now we had a Sunday interview every second week. Now, once in a while we will post a “Special Feature” interview on Saturdays instead. So let us proudly present to you our first “Special Feature” interview:

Name: Nicole

As we all know, our SoGoPro Street Teamers are spread all over the globe, not always growing up with the English tongue and sometimes having trouble understanding everything. So this is where Nicole jumps in. For everyone who doesn’t know her yet, she’s our dear old soul who makes all these fantastic transcripts to all the blogs/vlogs/podcasts. The transcripts have always been very special to us, especially to Peter. So we are very proud to start our “Special Feature interviews” off with Nicole. Nicole ( http://www.sogopro.com/user/26 ) is originally from New Jersey, but currently studying Film Production at Emerson College in Boston (the same college that our very own Nicholas Gray graduated from!)

Peter: Nicole, thank you so much for agreeing to be interviewed by us. This really means a lot. How did you get the idea of transcribing the vlogs? Did anyone ask you to do it or was it your idea? And why did you feel the need of doing it in the first place?

Nicole: Thank you again for all your support! I'm glad the transcripts are able to help you so much! Hearing back from people like you who use the transcripts is what keeps me going, so thank you again!
I stumbled upon the original SoGoPro blog one of the first days it was put up (over two years ago!) and I was immediately intrigued because I love Wilmington, I was a fan of Hilarie Burton, and I was thinking of studying film in the future so this was a perfect opportunity for me to get involved with a production company. I was dying for a way to help the company when I saw a comment one day from a fan who couldn't hear the video because she was deaf, and I wanted to find a way to help her and others who may have similar problems. So I emailed Kelly and I got an email back right away saying that the production company would love my help! It was a little later that the SGP community grew worldwide so I began also writing the transcripts for those who didn't know English well. And luckily I have a whole team of people helping me to translate the transcripts into French and Spanish so more people can understand them. (Thanks to Marion, Val, Audrey, Niamh, Veronica, Ella and Irene!!)

Peter: Oh what a touching story. I never thought of it in that way, but yes, of course, deaf people really do need transcripts aswell! Do you have a certain technique of how to transcribe the vlogs? And how long do you need for a transcription?

Nicole: My technique is pretty simple. I have a word document for all the vlog transcripts and I just play the video and type what I hear. The amount of time it takes me really varies on how long the video is and who is talking. A 3-minute video might take me only 5 minutes but a 20-minute video might take me 45 minutes. If the people talking in the video speak really fast, it takes me longer because there is more to type. Also, if someone is on the vlogs a lot I get more familiar with the way they speak, so it is easier to transcribe them. I have gotten pretty good at any Nick, Hilarie, or KT vlogs. But I honestly enjoy doing them so it's never a burden! I love helping the SGP community!

Peter: Impressive. I would have thought it would take much longer. Were there any difficulties arising in transcribing the vlogs/podcasts that you didn't expect? Is there any transcription of yours very dear to you, and if so, then why?

Nicole: They are extremely good at having clear audio for all the vlogs and podcasts, so I rarely have any difficulty! I wish I could do more transcripts, like Denise's music podcasts, but I unfortunately don't have the time. (However, Miryam has helped me and hopefully I will get her transcripts up soon! Thanks again Miryam!!) In the beginning, I needed to learn a few simple URL codes so I could post everything on the website, so, as usual, Megan saved me once again and quickly taught me everything! One of my favorite transcripts is Vlog #18 (http://sogopro.com/transcript018), "Inspired by..." This vlog was the one where Hilarie and Nick are looking through pictures in "The Young People's Speaker" and saying captions for each picture. The vlog was hilarious and I remember laughing the whole time I was typing it. I have the most fun doing the vlogs that make me laugh (which is most of them). I also loved transcribing "The True-Love Tale of Boyfriend and Girlfriend" because that was my favorite SGP project so far. It gave me an excuse to watch it again!

Peter: Haha, that sounds as if you have a great time doing them. Do you have a wish for a special vlog or podcast which you would love to see or hear about? Something that especially interests you?

Nicole: I am always interested in what the vlogs or podcasts are about, so, like everyone else, I get excited when I see something new is posted on the page! I wouldn't say there is anything in particular that I would love to see in a vlog, except that I would love to see another vlog with KT, Hilarie, and Nick together again. I know they are busy in different places at the moment but I would love to see them reunite again!

Peter: Yes, that would be nice! And is there anything you would like to share about SoGoPro and the street team, maybe something that impressed you about them?

Nicole: Man, the SGP street team impresses me everyday. When SGP takes a break from posting for a while I am always worried the site will die down, but the street team is always updating with pictures or blogs or just talking in the chat. It's awesome to see that other people are as devoted as I am to the company. I don't get to write in the chat a lot but I love seeing people I know in there and I read back on conversations a lot just to see how everyone is doing. I love that the SoGoPro community is so welcoming and committed to the company and to each other. Every once in the while I will get emails from other SGP members who want to thank me for doing the transcripts. It's awesome to hear from them and see how caring everyone on the site is.

Peter: How true. So, is there anything you have learned for yourself from the ST or SGP that has changed/helped you in your life? Did you have any special experiences with the street team which you would like to share? Is there a special moment that you cherish the most?

Nicole: I like this question! It brings up lots of good memories that I have gotten from SGP! Well, first of all, right from the beginning the SGP community welcomes you with open arms. Not only were the other street team members reaching out to include me when there was only a few of us, but as I said earlier, I easily got in touch with KT through email so I felt like the whole company was easily accessible. There are two moments that I cherish the most. One was the St. Patrick's Day video that Megan put together for the company. I loved seeing everyone in a video together expressing how much SGP means to them. And I liked that it showed KT, Hilarie, Nick and everyone else who has helped out that their work really meant something to us. For once we were thanking them instead of them thanking us! The other moment that I will always remember was when I was able to meet up with KT and Ali. They happened to be traveling through my hometown in Jersey and offered to meet up. It was an amazing experience and even though I was only in high school they were both very, very kind and I got to show some history buffs around my historic town! That was a lot of fun and we got great pictures out of the visit! As a film student, this whole SGP experience has just been awesome because this company is the kind of company I would love to work at in the future!

Peter: And I wish you all the best in achieving this goal! Thank you so much for this beautiful interview! For all you readers: As always, we hope you enjoyed it greatly and would love to give you all the opportunity to ask a fellow SoGoPro Street Team Member questions about a subject you always wanted to know more about! So put on your thinking caps! :)

Eurovision 2011: Short commentary

2011-05-15T05:58:00.000-07:00

You could not resist watching, right? Once a year Eurovision delivers most crappy songs, outfits and choreographies and this year was no different (well, almost). Let's comment the 'artists' we saw during Saturday's grand finale.

Azerbaijan (the winners) - cute song, lightening and I'm guessing 4th time is a charm. The chick (Nikki) is a Snooki-look-a-like.

Italy - Italian jazz? Don Corleone is spinning with the fish.

Sweden - No clue how he got 3rd place. Well, second loser.

France - They broke the ultimate rule of Eurovision by sending someone who can actually sing. The background was so pretty the only thing I missed were scenes from Lion King or Pocahontas!

Austria - She was so stamping her knees as if she needed to wee.

Moldova - Felt like we were in Tim Burton's movie surrounded by gnomes on acid.

UK - They just started working for Lufthansa (coughs).

Ireland - Clearly love children of Gaga and Bowie.

Estonia - High School Musical went bad.

Denmark - Copycat of Sum-41, but none of them was actually married to Avril Lavigne.

Ukraine - Yes, sand painting took all the focus.

Romania - Tom Cruise's little Romanian brother.

Slovenia - Yay for jazzy hands and Rihanna S&M done bad.

Germany - What's with the condomesque Gaga dancers?!

Finland - Good performance. How surprising!

Bosnia & Herzegovina - Goran Bregovic retired edition.

Georgia - Bad outfits, good tune, good voice (despite the rap part).

Greece - Only Woody Allen can pull off greek comedy.

Spain - Pink = no, song = no no, choreography plank plonk plink song! Monkey do!

Serbia - Color blind Twiggy can sing.

Russia - In case you were wondering what happened to Kenickie after Grease.

Lithuania - *yaaawn*

Iceland - perfect if you're looking for a wedding band singing to meatballs.

Hungary - I have no clue why she compares herself to Celine Dion (!) while reminding us of Dolly Parton!

Switzerland - Na na na na. La la la. Oh, wait, we ran out of lyrics and Toblerone chocolate.

And let's recall the winners once more:

xoxo,

Kasia

A journey almost complete...

2011-05-09T07:04:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

Just checking in with you all! I wanted to share some pretty exciting news going on over this way.

So, as some of you may know I'm a senior in college- well not for long! I graduate on May 28th and have been chosen out of all the other musicians in my department (vocal majors included) to sing the national anthem with my vocal trio a capella at the ceremony! In front of the entire class of 2011 and all the professors at the school! Holy cow.

When we auditioned for that gig, we got another one without even trying.... On June 4th we're singing the national anthem at the Massachusetts State Democratic Convention!

Finally, I used to have a girl group in high school- and randomly enough- we were asked to do a reunion show this August. So- we're shaking the dust off our favorite oldies girl group songs, buying some cute new outfits and hitting the stage as The Tutti-Fruitties once again. (Nice name right? You can totally tell three 13 year olds chose that one!)
What was crazy is how we agreed to do that one show and the next day we got a call to do another show a couple towns over the next night.
So, there are four random singing gigs that literally just fell on my lap, as I search for a decent part time job while completing my internship, and collecting my music business/flute performance degree. How random?!

I suppose it's the universe reminding me that I can still sing? Who knows. I just wanted to share so you all had an idea as far as where I have disappeared to! College is coming to a close so you'll see some nice work done here on the blog soon, which I consider to be wayy overdue!

Also let me remind you I have sooo much SoGo Merch I want to give away. Finally, I'll be able to hold some good contests and get your creative juices flowing!

Just hang tight and wish me luck!!! Nerves and shock, nerves and shock.

Wonder where all of this is going!?

SoGoPro Street Team Sunday Interview: Kasia

2011-05-02T11:06:00.000-07:00

Our next interviewpartner is Kasia:

Name: Kasia

Age: 26

SoGoPro.com member for 1 year and 49 weeks

Profile: http://www.sogopro.com/user/340

About me: I'm a girl with passion for music, arts and any other form of expression that I find interesting. And I don't like dogs.

Favorite music: I've been raised on good 'ol vinyl albums (I'm still keeping them all!) from artists like Foreigner, ACDC, Pink Floyd or Bob Dylan. Despite my love for good rock music I make a place in my heart for something new. Something good, obviously. My picks in fresh and rather new (I mean after 1985) category or artists/bands I'm crazy about are: Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Lissie, Diane Birch, Jessie J, Adele, The Black Keys, Mogwai, The Kills, Foo Fighters, Nikka Costa, Calla, Anouk, Chris Botti. If speaking about the dinosaur era I'd go with The Rolling Stones, The Cure, The Doors, Creedence Clearwater Revival, BB King, Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, Bryan Adams (slightly younger prehistory), The Funk Brothers, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Joan Jett, Stevie Nicks, Patti Smith.

Favorite books: The variety of books I read goes from cook books to weird science fiction, but let's try. Illustrated Man by Rad Bradbury, About A Boy by Nick Hornby, For Whom The Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway, Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides, All books by Henry „pervert” Miller.

Favorite movies: I'm quite picky in that matter. I can't stand dumb comedies and romantic movies that overdose the romance. I like something in between. And action movies. So here it comes: The A-Team, anything by Woody Allen, anything by that crazy Tarantino guy, Little Children, movies based on comic books like Sin City and Watchmen, Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken, Falling In Love (so 1984!). Oh, and I just love animated movies. Yes, I'm a kiddo!

_________________________________

The interview:

Peter & Miryam: Thank you so much for agreeing to the interview with us, Kasia. So, let's dive right into it and start with our classical question, shall we: How did you discover SoGoPro and what keeps you coming back? What does SoGoPro mean to you?

Kasia: I guess that's one question no one will ever escape, huh? I can only give you a pretty much standard answer to it! While I was browsing Hilarie's fan page I saw her video in which she explained why she was leaving One Tree Hill after all those years. One of the main reasons was that she wanted to move forward with her very own production company (along with a few associates – hello Nick & Kelly!) and focus more what's it like behind the camera. I got intrigued by the idea and followed her right to sogopro.com where all the magic happens. Since it launched, SoGoPro has a lot to offer to its devoted fans and supporters. Boredom does not exist in here. Not only we have a chance to see how it's all functioning from the inside, but we are even welcomed and encouraged to do that. I honestly feel honored to be able to see how it is working and be a part of it. They value our opinions and ideas on certain topics, encourage us to be creative and take chances in life. It sometimes makes you see things from other perspective. SoGoPro has a lot to offer as a company, but its biggest virtue are people behind it. And I not only mean the founders, but also people who, like me, are supporting them by spreading the word to the world, who I'm proud to call friends.

Peter & Miryam: Very well said...and so true! We agree on that.
Talking about perspectives, we know how much you’re into architecture. Picture SoGoPro as a building. What would it look like? Can you discribe it to us?

Kasia: First, imagine a long road to it, as a metaphor for the way they had to go through to make SoGoPro happen. I imagine it as 15th century castle, slightly surrounded in the fog and high, green trees. It's mysterious, majestic and you don't know what will happen when you enter inside. But, when you do – it will positively surprise you with all the goods to offer and many other doors to open. And the variety of offerings is just overwhelming. Close your eyes and imagine fabulous chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, beautiful paintings on the walls and renaissance furniture. It is powerful, yet charming, making you want to see more. Many hiding places make you feel excited to dig deeper and learn more. That's how I see SoGoPro – mysterious and full of surprises.

Peter & Miryam: Wow, I hope everyone is closing their eyes right now, imagening this fabulous description! Definately got goosebumps here!
Also you’re writing in your profile that you want to illustrate children’s books and music covers, we never heard you talk about it before. How did that happen?

Kasia: I'm a pencil drawing artist in my free time (which I lack right now). Some long time ago I've taught myself this and that about digital art and use of special computer programmes. I found it useful to transfer my pencil art onto a screen and make it digitalized art with proper equipment, because it's easier to print it out as a poster or album cover. As much as I like digital form, I'm sentimental enough about classic drawings, paintings with various tools like pencils, pens, markers, paints etc. I love illustrating in pencil/colour pencils/aquarell pencils and I think it might be a good career move at some point (when I finally find time, I mean), to do something I love. It is important to be able to express yourself by doing something that you really like, and if it can be your job – that's even better.

Peter & Miryam: So true. Hopefully you'll find some time for it at one point in your life!
Now, you love music a lot and you chose to regularly broarden our horizons on the musical front with your musicopedia entries on the street team page. How did you get that idea? Why?

Kasia: There's more to music than Lady Gaga or that Bieber kid. I know they are very trendy these days, but I cherish the real value of real music. Right now, everyone can be a youtube sensation (Rebecca Black, anyone?!) with no talent at all. It scares me, because it's kinda epidemic, and real, good music is pushed over down the throne. If it all goes like it's now for a long run, people will forget what music used to be, and I simply cannot let that happen! Luckily, some people didn't go head over heels with mainstream and are faithful to what's good. There are good bands and single artists out there (Foo Fighters, The Kills, Diane Birch, Lissie etc.) who are new and fresh or have been around for some time already. But, we tend to forgot about the artists who had their glory days back when our parents were in their 20s, and we are only reminded about them if they make it on a movie/tv show soundtrack. I'd like to refresh our memory of good, old music and keep on doing that until those self-called 'artists' are gone with the wind.

Peter & Miryam: Well, so far we think you're doing a great job! And it looks like you have found the right audience here aswell ;) Tell us, where do you get your inspiration from on what what band/musician to talk about next?

Kasia: That's a secret I'll never tell. Ha, I went all Gossip Girl on you!

Peter & Miryam: Haha, that's ok. Once in a while you are allowed to go all Gossip Girl on us, especially when asked to reveal secrets like that! ;) ...Seems like magicians and artists really do have a few things in common ;P
So, lets make this your turn to close your eyes! Imagine that you could travel to any place in the world. You would be allowed to take two songs and two books, which ones would you pick, where would you go and with whom would you go?

Kasia: All I can think of is somewhere in the woods, jungle. With waterfalls, elephants with easy access to the beach. I'd love to face some adventure, whether it's Amazon Rainforest or Sri Lanka. Music? Dream On by Nazareth and Wild Horses by The Rolling Stones. Books? I'd rather take my blank note pad to write my adventures down and publish it as a memoir! With whom? My two closest people – my fiance and my best friend.

Peter & Miryam: Oh, please, please let us read your memoir! :)
So, which project/vlog/blog/podcast/street team blog entry is your favorite so far?

Kasia: Loving them all. Sorry.

Peter & Miryam: Nothing to appologise...that's a good thing, right?! But can you tell us about the most outstanding experience you had on SoGoPro so far?

Kasia: I think all my interaction with SoGoPro and people connected to it is equally significant and exceptional. It's hard to name one thing, because everything that has happened over there is very meaningful, whether it's a complementary on something done right from the SoGoPro team, or something that I did to make someone laugh. Can't really name the most outstanding experience, but I can name the most valuable – people I met through SoGoPro. Every one is very unique, creative and good as a person, and that means everything it takes to make SoGoPro a better place every day.

Peter & Miryam: Beautifully said- what a wonderful way to end the interview! Lets just leave it like that and let this comment accompany us through this Sunday and the following two weeks! Thank you very much for this beautiful interview.

Got me on my knees, Layla

2011-05-01T14:09:00.000-07:00

Jim Gordon killed his mother. Duane Allman died in a car crash. Car Radle overdosed everything. Yet, we all remember Derek And The Dominos and their album "Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs" with one of the best rock songs of all time "Layla". Today it's album's 40th anniversary. It was their one and only ever released album. But, the band was also Clapton, Harrison and Boyd and their weird bittersweet musical love triangle, that added bitterness to "Layla". Sharp, emotional music was perfect back in a day and is perfect now. Somehow, it is also a burden for Clapton, since he is the only one who succeeded in pursing music as a career. The rest of the band is either dead, forgotten or on jail food for the rest of the days.

But, let's all remember the old good times.

(btw: in today's X-factor - polish edition, one of the contestants totally rocked that song!Will try to add the video of it to the post when it's out in a good quality.)

As promised above, here is a performance from last night's polish edition of X-Factor (it was a movie songs night) when one of the contestants (Gienek Loska, who is my favorite on the show) sang the song. I hope you'll like it!

xoxo,

Kasia

SoGoPro Street Team Sunday Interview: Anna

2011-04-20T22:05:00.001-07:00

Name: Anya

Age: 20

SoGoPro.com member for 38 weeks

Profile: http://www.sogopro.com/user/4472

About me: Currently I am not working or studying. I began to study Linguistics at South Ural State University, but later I decided to postpone my education. I spend this year trying to discover what I really like, my true interests and passions. I do a lot of reading, thinking, walking, crafting, gardening... I am only young once and I don't want to spend the rest of my life having regrets, because I've listened to other people's opinions and didn't have my own.

My main passion is reading. I began to read when I was about three years old and I loved it ever since. I can't even survive a week without a book ;) I also love watching movies, tv shows and bonus materials for them. I was always curious about process of film-making - that's why I love SoGoPro Industry Interviews. My other hobbies are photography, cross-stitching, making beaded jewelry, listening to music, travelling, playing with my cat, learning new things...

Favorite Music: Phantom Planet, Tyler Hilton, Florence and The Machine, Kate Voegele, Rogue Wave, The Avett Brothers, Gavin DeGraw, Billy Currington, James Taylor, Matthew West, Bryan Greenberg, Everly, Wakey!Wakey!

Favorite Books: "The Catcher In The Rye" by J.D. Salinger, "This Side Of Paradise" by F. Scott Fitzgerald, "The Mediator" & “1-800-where-are-you” series by Meg Cabot, Nicholas Sparks, Sarah Dessen...

Favorite Movies: Anna and The King; Gone With The Wind; Legends Of The Fall; In The Land Of Women; Just Like Heaven; Ten Inch Hero; St. Trinian's; Extreme Ops

One Tree Hill; Friday Night Lights; The Vampire Diaries; The O.C.; O Clone

_________________________________

The interview:

Miryam: Thank you so much for agreeing to be interviewed! Tell us, how did you discover SoGoPro? And what makes you come back?

Anna: Thank you for interviewing me :)

Well, like many others I discovered SoGoPro because of One Tree Hill. I began to watch it about a year ago and I liked it a lot. So I decided to check cast and crew on Twitter and found a link to SoGoPro there.

First things I noticed were those awesome t-shirts and bracelets (that I still can’t get because of payment methods :( ), then I started to read blogs and listen to podcasts. They were really interesting and made me come back again and again, Later I paid attention to the c-box. The first person I’ve talked to was Anneliese. She was very nice and I felt welcome there. I think one of the main reasons why I continue to come back is people who became my friends :)

Miryam: Oh that’s lovely. And how has SoGoPro inspired you? Did it impact your life at all?

Anna: For me SoGoPro is an endless source of inspiration. Podcasts, vlogs, blogs, and works of other SoGoPro Street Team members – I can find inspiration everywhere.

I spent a lot of time choosing pictures for Flickr challenges (http://www.flickr.com/photos/anyazhukova/galleries/) and I was surprised how many beautiful photographs were there (http://www.flickr.com/p hotos/anyazhukova/favorites/). I’ve learned that you can see beauty and magic in very unexpected places.

Last year I had so much fun participating in SGP Secret Santa! It was quite challenging, but also very exciting ;)

SoGoPro makes my life much more interesting. I’ve become friends with people who I would never have a chance to meet in “real life”. I’ve learned about new singers and bands, new books and movies. SoGoPro brings a lot in my life.

Miryam: At the moment you’re taking some time off of your studies to find out what you want to do in your future. First of all congratulations for that. I think it is a very courageous thing to do and not everyone is brave enough to do so. What made you decide to do so and do you feel you have gained anything from that time already?

Anna: Thank you, Miryam. It wasn’t easy and sometimes I have doubts about it, but I’m glad that I decided to take some time off my studies.

When I applied to university I hadn’t much time to think what I want to study before I had to choose a major. I was under pressure of other people’s opinions: my relatives’, my former classmates’ and teachers’. Eventually I began to feel that if I won’t stop, I’ll live a life of another person and not my own one.

Now I spend time doing things I really like and it makes me very happy. I have a more clear sight on my life. I can’t say that I am completely ready to make important decisions, but I’m getting closer to it.

Miryam: That sounds great. Now, you said you have learned to read at age 3! That somehow reminds me of Scout Finch in to Kill A Mockingbird. Any similarities here? Or how did you learn?

Anna: My grandmother taught me. We played with alphabet blocks and cards, made words and sentences out of them, read an alphabet books. It was such an easy and interesting way to learn, and I loved to read ever since.

Can’t answer your question about Scout Finch, because I haven’t read “To Kill a Mockingbird”. Though I heard that it’s a great book and I will definitely read it later.

Miryam: Haha, no worries. But really do read it, I think you’ll enjoy it. Which books make you think about SoGoPro?

Anna: “We Have Always Lived in the Castle”, “ The Secret Life of Bees”, “Bloodroot”.

Miryam: What was your favorite children’s book? If you have children of your own, which books would you definitely MUST read to them?

Anna: I liked to read fairy tales. Russian folk stories, Brothers Grimm, H. C. Anderson, Selma Lagerlof, Astrid Lindgren… My favorite book was “The Wizard of the Emerald City” by Alexander Volkov. Basically it’s a translation of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”, but characters and storylines are a little bit different. I would definitely read this book to my children. I would also read them stories about Peter Pan and children’s book written by Russian and Soviet writers.

Miryam: So glad you’ve mentioned Astrid Lindgren...I love her books! I’ll have to come back to you on the Russian and Soviet authors another time, but for now-you’re someone who can’t survive without the written word, do you write yourself?

Anna: Not much, actually. I like to create different stories in my mind, but I rarely write them down. I try to write them, but I am so easily distracted. I suppose I have to learn to concentrate on writing. And maybe one day I’ll learn to do it, but for now I can only keep my diary.

Miryam: Who knows, maybe its a hidden talent you got there ;) And some of the greatest authors began with diaries. If you could meet anybody in the world (alive, dead, fictional character), who would it be, why, what topic would you like to discuss with that character?

Anna: My grandfather. He passed away five years ago and I miss him a lot. He was the most important person in my life and I would love to know his opinion about everything that’s going on with me now.

Miryam: I’m very sorry for your loss. I think that’s a fantastic choice you made there, and I’m sure he watches over you every second! SoGoPro has such a wide range of things to offer, obviously you enjoy the book club, right? Is that also your favorite category? Or what would that be?

Anna: I don’t think I can pick just one - I like all of them :)

Miryam: You were always interested in the film process. If you could be part of it, which movie/tv show would you like to work on and what which job would you like to do there (act, direct, costume design, etc, etc)?

Anna: “The Vampire Diaries” Love this show and I would be really interested in acting and maybe also in writing.

Miryam: Oh, that sounds interesting! See, I’m telling you, maybe you have a hidden talent for writing ;) As which character would you come into the show (can be also a not-yet-existing character, but tell us what you would like to play :) )?

Anna: I would like to play Lexi. She’s a 350-year-old vampire and Stefan’s best friend. It would be awesome to play a character who is so much fun and full of life even though she’s a vampire. Lexi was killed in the first season, but later she appeared in flashbacks. I guess it would be very interesting to see her in different centuries and decades :)

Miryam: If you would have to make a music mix for SoGoPro, which songs would you include?

Anna:

1. Tom Petty – Wildflowers

2. Patrick Park – Life is a Song

3. Van Morrison – Into the Mystic

4. Chantal Kreviazuk – These Days

5. Neil Young – Heart of Gold

6. Billy Currington – People Are Crazy

7. Creedence Clearwater Revival –

Up Around The Bend

8. Gonzaguinha – E Vamos A Luta

9. Simon & Garfunkel – Sound of Silence

10. White Lies – Death

11. James Taylor – Carolina in My Mind

12. Phantom Planet – Anthem

Miryam: Oh, very nice choices...although I don’t know all of them! Now I have some new songs to listen to :) Thank you so much for this great interview Anna, I wish you all the best for your future- may your path clear up even more!

Vlog Talk: The Secret Life of Bees

2011-04-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Remember the Street Team Song?!

2011-04-13T07:31:00.001-07:00

Carla sure does! Take a look at her recent contribution- some fabulous lyrics!
When I thought everything was all wrong,
when I thought all inspiration was gone
I stumbled upon it, so out of the blue
and it was then that I was sure I knew
I have found a place where I can be myself
I found a place where above all else
I fit in to this community without any judgement
It's SOGOPRO and this is why I love it
I now had a getaway, a place to retreat,
to chat to the awesome friends I was yet to meet to learn so much more about everything I already love
it almost seems as though it fits like a glove
music, movies, blogs, vlogs and more
come along down to see what's in store SoGo check in out, it's but a mere click away
SOGOPRO is home and here to stay.
Now we just need to have some folks come up with a chord progression, melody, instrumentation... hmmm! Who wants to help! I know we have musical folks out there :)

R8TXMSF8VPM4

SoGoPro Street Team Sunday Interview: Jaclyne

2011-04-07T05:23:00.000-07:00

Name: Jaclyne Selvig

Age: 26

SoGoPro.com member for 1 Year 44 Weeks

Profile: http://www.sogopro.com/user/38

Favorite Musik: I love music in general. I listen to just about anything. Huge country fan though. Terri Clark is my favorite artist. But I listen to everything from No Doubt, Pink, Celine Dion, and Dixie Chicks, to Rob Zombie, Toronto, Black Sabbath, and Static X. I'm also a sucker for anything 90's, and the oldies from the 50s and 60s.

Favorite Books: I'm not a huge reader. I really like true crime, and books that are funny and witty. Secret Life of Bees and In Her Shoes have probably been two of my favorite reads. I'm reading Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral by Kris Radish, it's pretty good. I've also picked up a few graphic novels that have been interesting. Jeff Lemire's The Nobody was dark, but good.

Favorite Movies: I like a lot of movies. My all time favorite is Titanic. I love everything about that film. My 'go-to' movie is For Richer or Poorer, I find it hilarious, and never get tired of it. Anything with Sandra Bullock or Kate Winslet. I don't think I've disliked any of their films. I'm also a big Monty Python fan, Holy Grail is one of my favorites for sure. I also love horrors and thrillers. Silence of the Lambs is a classic. There are so many movies in every genre that I could call a favorite. Wizard of Oz, Secret Life of Bees, Rumble in the Bronx, are just a couple random faves.

________________________________

The Interview:

Dani: Jaclyne, I’m really happy that you have not yet been interviewed in this Series so that I have the chance to be the lucky one ;) You know, we’ve met almost two years ago in Wilmington. But to my shame I don’t really know as much about you as I’d like to. So please, do tell the others and myself a little bit about yourself. What are the things one should know about Jaclyne Selvig?

Jaclyne: Well, firstly, interviews make me nervous. Hoping for nice questions ;) Even though this first one is a doozy. I can’t believe it’s been almost a year and a half ago that I met you in a parking deck! Seems so crazy! I’m not sure if it showed, but I’m really quite shy. (Nope, didn’t notice that at all! You’re a good actress then ;)) Laughter is the best ice breaker with me. Depending on the person it can take a while, but once I’m opened up it’s a whole new ball game. I am typically up for anything and everything. I love to venture, maybe get a little lost just for fun. Life is an adventure, so why not live up to that? I am a concert/live music JUNKIE. I’ll see anyone. I tend to be terrible at conversing when seeing live music though, I get really caught up in it. I love the theatre and a good hockey game or Nascar race. I’m fairly straightforward, not too many layers to this onion...maybe I’ll go with cake.

Dani: If you could spend 24 hours with someone from the film industry (there are so many professions we’ve learned in the Industry Interviews with Kelly), who would you choose? And how would you wanna spend those 24 hours?

Jaclyne: I have always been interested in the industry, so I am loving the interviews. I couldn’t see me in a directors chair, but I would definitely love to spend time with one. I’d like to cheat and spend a day with a director who also writes and/or produces. Someone who has worked on various genres of film. I’d like to just walk around quiet sets and talk about the process of going through different films. Like the difference in how they use lighting in a horror compared to a drama, or the differences in their camera angles between action and horror. Maybe sit down and watch one of their films and discuss how they went through each scene, why they set it up the way they did.

Dani: I’m guessing you have seen the movie „Eat Pray Love“ starring Julia Roberts? If you were in the same situation as Elizabeth Gilbert, standing on a crossroad, trying to find the meaning of your life and deciding to go on a journey. Which three countries would you go to? And why those?

Jaclyne: I have not seen it actually, isn’t that terrible!? *shakes head at self* I love culture, and I love my heritage. I think it is important to know your roots. I don’t know enough about mine so I would definitely make a stop in Norway. We have Norweigan food every now and again, but I would love to try it right in Norway. Then, since Titanic has consumed a lot of my free time, I would love to go to the UK, the Southampton area, where Titanic began its maiden voyage. After that I think I would go to New Zealand, just to take in the picturesque scenery. Seems like a place where you can just reflect, relax, and spend a lot of time with nature.

Dani: Let me know when you hit Norwegian ground. I’ll be there to meet you :) The Northern part of Europe is one of my favourite parts to travel to. And hey, go rent that movie ;)

Imagine you had the capability to travel in time. Where would you wanna live? The times of Little House on the Prairie maybe? Woodstock?

Jaclyne: I would probably head to the 50s. I love most everything about that decade. I am a HUGE fan of the oldies music, like the classic rock and roll of Elvis and Buddy Holly, and the Doo-Wop of Little Anthony and the Imperials, The Drifters and The Coasters. Oh I just love it all! I would love to experience the music first hand, amongst the hype. I also LOVE the classic cars. So it would be neat to be around them ALL the time. Seeing them all in original paint and unmodified under the hood. Dancing was popular, along with and diners, and drive-ins. Just seems like a fun decade. Plus I would love to rock around in a poodle skirt!

Dani: Off to google how a poodle skirt looks like … yup, I def can imagine you wearing that ;)

Actors have the ability to slip into a role. Someone completely different from themselves. Which other person would you like to be? If at all :)

Jaclyne: Oh this is a hard one. So many interesting and fun people. Calamity Jane. Or possibly Margaret Brown. Both are strong women, with a lot of heart, who made it in a mans world. Jane could ride, talk, and fight like a man. She travelled all over the US, mostly by horse and wagon or train. Very ‚Oregon Trail’ like. I can’t ride a horse, so that would be interesting. But it would be amazing to be out in the wild like that. Then there’s Margaret. She did so much, before women could vote she attempted to get herself on Congress, she studied acting, she was a philanthropist, she knew multiple langauges, and survived the sinking of Titanic. To see the ship in its complete mass, experience its class, and then survive her ill fate, would be incredible. Yes, tragic too, but it would be amazing to help others understand what the ship really was like.

Dani: When we’re little we have dreams about what we wanna be in the future. Like myself, I wanted to be a farmers wife (haven’t found that farmer yet *lol*) What’s the profession you have dreamed about as a kid? Has your dream changed throughout the years?

Jaclyne: Being a farmers wife would be quite nice J I had a few dreams as a kid, one was to work in film. My dad had one of those big old Hitachi camcorders that recorded on full size VHS that I would carry around with me. And the other was to become an astrophysicist. I was a night owl as a child who loved to stare at the stars then run to my room and read about them. Dreams changed because a councelor discouraged me from film, and my physics marks dropped later in high school and I thought they wouldn’t be high enough to get me in to a good program. I never quite let go of the film dream, amongst my various college studies I made sure I threw in some courses that would apply to film if need be. As for the astrophysics, that dream ended when I got my diploma in highschool, but I still read about the universe quite often. I’m also pretty sure I wanted to be an author of those ‚Choose Your Own Adventure’ books.

Dani: Now let’s get a little bit in the SoGoPro Land. What is your first memory of SoGoPro?

Jaclyne: Wow that is so long ago already. I remember reading the blogs for the first time and laughing to myself about them. I found them rather entertaining. I think my first interaction with anyone would have been in Cbox probably with Sue (wonder how she is doing?), Megan, and Ali. I remember almost everyone that came through on Cbox was so well versed, and had great opinions, and were very interesting people right off the bat. It wasn’t like a regular chat room with obnoxious people. There was the odd riff raff but they usually didn’t last long. It was fun conversation.

Dani: Funny that you mention Sue. Me too, I was just recently wondering where she might be. Lets hope we’ll meet her again sometime …

How do you explain SoGoPro to your friends and family?

Jaclyne: It’s tough to explain, as most of them are not interested in any part of the industry or the I out and allows others to share their own pieces and views in art, music, books, and photogrpahy, mostly related to the southern gothic genre. With that it has created more of a community.

Dani: SoGoPro has been in our lifes for a while now. What would you say has this little company brought into your life that you don’t want to miss anymore? I think I already know the answer to that one ;)

Jaclyne: Yes the answer to this one is pretty easy, I have made some amazing friends here. Even though I don’t see or talk to everyone everyday, I couldn’t imagine not knowing these people. It’s rare to find people that you can have a great time with doing whatever, even if it’s not much at all. I also enjoy the friends all over the world that maybe I will never meet or have the opportunity to visit (although I hope I do!) but they are so interesting, creative, and smart. There’s this fairly constant flow of creativity and insight coming from SGP and the people around here. Whether I look back on a photo someone has taken, a blog they’ve written, or a quote mentioned, sometimes it’s inspiring, sometimes its interesting or entertaining. Seeing other people be creative, really gets my mind in to the creative mood.

Dani: If you had to put SoGoPro into one picture, what would we see?

Jaclyne: Oh this is interesting...one picture. Okay at first glance you see old creepy gothic iron gates (of course). At closer inspection of the gate, you see what looks like the shape of the comedy tragedy masks within the intricate pattern of the iron on each gate, old cameras at the top side posts, the vines growing over the brick wall are actually filmstrip at close inspection, and if you look past the gates (you may have to squint to make it out it’s quite subtle so that you take in everything within the picture) you can see a party going on back there.

Dani: Very nice! I can see myself entering that picture and it becoming alive!

As mostly everyone probably knows already, there was a meet up in Wilmington in the Summer of 2009. 8 strangers coming together in this lovely town. Now I think there’s always a risk in meeting someone you’ve only known through the Internet. I mean there was a chance that you might not get along with those people. What were your feelings before boarding that plane in Canada? Were you nervous? Anxious?

Jaclyne: There is huge risk in meeting someone through the internet. We lucked out big time, that out of 8 people no one was crazy, or not who they were online. Okay maybe we were slightly crazy ;) (oh, just slightly, Jac, just slightly ;)) It was a strange feeling boarding the plane. It wasn’t really nerves. I never had done anything like that so I was excited to be venturing and doing something for myself. This curious and excited part greatly outweighed any part that could have been nervous. When the plane was in the air there was a part of me that kind of thought what am I doing. Probably because at initial take off was the point of no return. I think it was more shock though, like I couldn’t believe I was actually doing it. It was also kind of calming to know I wouldn’t be approaching all 7 of you at once. I knew I had time to get comforatable with a few people at a time. But yes, everyone should definitely take caution when going in to something like that.

Dani: Imagine I’d be coming for a visit to your place. What are the things you’d want me to see and who are the people you’d want me to meet?

Jaclyne: I am still sad I didn’t get a chance to see you while you were somewhat near here. So I shouldn’t imagine this, I think you should visit! We have plenty of farmers ;) (Niceeeee :)) I’m not too sure we would stay IN my city, there really isn’t a whole lot here. There’s tressle bridge that is impressive, and the coulee that runs through it is beautiful. Then we have a restaurant in our water tower which I think is neat. So after a brief tour I think I would probably take you from one corner of the province to the other. It still amazes me that you can go through vast farm fields and end up at the badlands and hike the hoodoos, and when you go the other direction you go through coulees, foot hills, more farm fields, and then you hit the Rockies. You can see the evidence of a massive rock slide, explore a hidden ghost town, tour a coal mine, walk on a glacier, and see the beauty that is Banff. You can see so many different land scapes within a couple hours. I’d love to see the photos you would take of this area! The people...it would probably be a mix between my family, and the people I camp with. Not only would I want you to meet my family, but I also want them to meet you. I love my family, we’re a little nutty though. And the camping crew, they are interesting people, and very ‚Southern Albertan’. Everyone is fairly laid back, but likes a good time, and they are all extremely welcoming. Although later in the evening they tend to let loose and a little loud :)

Dani: That sounds all very nice! Might be thinking about coming for a visit now :) So beware of me and my camera ;)

What is your favourite Season oft he Year? And why?

Jaclyne: It used to be winter, I LOVED the cold. I must be getting old, because it gets harder to deal with every year. I’m definitely going to follow the ways of the goose and go south when I retire. So I would probably have to say early fall. The colors are starting to change, but you can still get really warm weather so that you can get the last bit of camping in. The tops of the mountains may be starting to show a little snow, which makes a beautiful backdrop. When I go out to my grandma’s farm everyone is out in their fields harvesting. I enjoy watching the commotion in the fields. There’s Thanksgiving and a great turkey dinner complete with mimosas. And of course fall is home to Halloween! Which really should be a stat holiday, and mandatory that everyone dress up!

Dani: I think we really should meet again, Jac. Fall’s my fav season too :)

I remember the Vlog about the Message in a Tree and the wonderful poem of Pablo Neruda. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jWWQqNL_Hc ; http://www.sogopro.com/node/392) This inspired you to start the Message in a Bottle, which became the Treasure Chest in the end (http://sogopro.com/node/634). Again, a wonderful thing you’ve done there, Jac! Now my question. If you were to find a message like that, addressed to the person who finds it, asking for help. How would you react? Would you try to find that person or would you just forget about it?

Jaclyne: Thank you Dani! I’m still so glad that so many people from all over were a part of it. And thank you for being the first. It was really neat that the first I received for the box was all the way from Switzerland. I’m not sure what my initial reaction would be, but I know that I would try and find that person. I believe that there is a reason for everything, and that sort of thing doesn’t happen everyday, so I couldn’t forget about it. Oh man my brain would be rattled with questions for an extensive period of time if I did.

Dani: What is a „Perfect Day“ for you?

Jaclyne: I have so many perfect days. I couldn’t fit everything in to one. A perfect day that I could use right now would just be spent in the mountains on a hot summer day. Relaxing and visiting with the crew, maybe a quad ride up the mountain, a swim in the fresh mountain run off, then warm up by the fire and then of course I would enjoy some drinks under the stars.

Thank you for interviewing me Dani!! And for being nice ;)

Dani: Thank you for being a part of SGP and giving me such wonderful answers! And how could I not be nice with someone like you ;)

Femme Fatale- Britney is Back

2011-04-06T07:03:00.000-07:00

I don't usually take the time to post my thoughts on current music. It's not that I don't have them, but I rarely feel inspired to share any genuine emotional reaction. There usually aren't many.

I've come to understand about myself, that I will always love Pop Music. I have room in my heart for other styles and genres, but unlike most other people I really may never grow out of buying into the glamour that Britney Spears and those of her kind bring to the industry. I don't "love" or idolize the people, but rather appreciate their role in the evolution of Pop Sound. What I will say later shall show you what I mean.

I am a lot older now than when I screamed bloody murder over Justin Timberlake, so I understand the marketing tactics and the way these pop stars and their teams- lure in customers. I was that customer- and as I grow, I continue to be. The Pop Machine made me exactly who they wanted. Darn!

Even so- I bought- yes as in purchased- the new Britney Spears album, Femme Fatale. I had low expectations. Every album prior to this one, always had a couple great songs, a few decent, and the rest- unlistenable. Her voice production would just be annoying and I always wondered why she couldn't just let go, have fun- and do more than just deliver the lyrics but, feel them- even if she doesn't have the best singing voice.

Femme Fatale changes things for me because it is electropop at it's very best. If you liked early Britney- you would appreciate this album because the formula is the same but the production is top notch. Finally we are free of the tacky midi (except for a couple tracks like "Inside out", "Criminal") and given hard, electro synth. You want to move to nearly every track. The simplicity in "How I Roll" keeps me turning it back on- the beat is creative and she actually sounds kind of cute. The vocal production is not offensive, at all. She may have that nasal sound and it's not for everyone- but I absolutely appreciate how far her sound has come.

"Hold It Against Me", the first single, caught me right away. I had a feeling though, this would be that one track on the album I'd know, and like. I was so wrong! The second single, "Dance Until The World Ends" sends me back into my Tap days- every time I hear it I see myself choreographing some kind of insane tap routine. Wish that could come into fruition! If you want to hear a track that could have been relased in the Disco era- "Big Fat Bass" featuring will.i.am will do it. Lyrics are simple, but you can appreciate the vibe it creates. "I Wanna Go" is what I would call a "classic Britney tune". Love it.

"Inside Out" is without a doubt my most prized song on the entire record. The use of Dub-Step is so refreshing. I clearly remember the days when there would be a radio single, and then the remix of a Britney (Christina, Nsync whoever) for club use. We are so beyond that time. We no longer bring in the techno God after the marginal record is done- we bring them in before the record is done. It's awesome. The folks behind this album paid attention to detail, and were extremely aware of the statement it makes to have someone like Britney approve the Dub-step movement and "Seal It With A Kiss" (another track I love for it's hard electronic feel).

Inside Out- Give it a listen!

I personally could have done without "Gasoline" but I'll get over it, since it was only on the Deluxe edition. Also- "Up n' Down" was another I felt was okay but not amazing. "Trip to Your Heart" gets stuck in my head, it's light and catchy. "Trouble for Me" is one of those songs I think everyone can relate to in some way... For that reason I found myself interested in the song- I do think it's on the more generic side compared to other tracks though.

It may not be your style- but if you miss those good ol' Britney pop songs, but not their terrible quality- check out this album. You might be surprised.

If you do, tell me what you liked most or how it compares to your old view of Brit Brit!

SoGoPro Street Team Sunday Interview: Lissy

2011-04-02T21:27:00.000-07:00

Peter & Miryam are proud to present to you a new Sunday Interview with our street team member Lissy!!

Name: Lissy

Age: 22

SoGoPro.com Member for 1 Year and 8 Weeks

Profile: http://www.sogopro.com/user/3336

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lyzzleg

About me: I’m Alyssa or Lissy as you all know me by. I live in Columbus, Ohio. I graduated in May from the University of Wisconsin at Madison with a degree in Communications. My favorite things in life are Diet Coke, Raisinets, a good book, and a lazy day. I’m a family girl—I enjoy hanging out with them and my best four-legged friend, Tiki.

Favorite Music: I have a wide range of music that I love. The music I listen to depends on my mood. If I’m really tired, I go for the musicals and Broadway hits like Funny Girl, Rent, Sound of Music. If I am in a bad mood and need a pick-me-up, I do 90’s pop like The Spice Girls. I also love country music! But since One Tree Hill, I’ve been listening to music that’s been featured on the show. I have playlists for each couple…my Leyton one is the longest!!

Favorite Books: (I know: Flowers For Algernon, am I right? More?) Very good memory! Yes, Flowers for Algernon is my favorite book. It shows that your dreams aren’t as great as they seem. I have read it about 500 times and I still love it.

Room is another good one! Suspenseful and a Best Seller! I love the Twilight series—Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn. Breaking Dawn was my favorite of the four. My Nook is full of books that I need to get through and I just boug

ht three books from Borders the other day on sale! I love Chick Lit—Something Borrowed and Something Blue by Emily Giffin. Jennifer Weiner also writes great books—In her Shoes, Best Friends Forever. I love books that I can’t put down. Right now I’m reading The Secret Life of Bees. I’m only on chapter nine, but I like it a lot!

Books that make you feel like you know the character are my favorite because then you can understand WHY their actions can or cannot be justified.

Favorite Movies: This is a bit harder! Up Close and Personal w/ Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert Redford is definitely a top film. Funny Girl with the incredible Barbra Streisand, When Harry Met Sally (my Valentines day choice), It’s a Wonderful Life (that Jimmy Stewart/Donna Reed dynamic is great!)…I have a huge box of movies in my basement but those are just a few of my top choices. My new thing is to record movies from the Turner Classic Movie Channel and watch them when I have time. I have Tammy and the Bachelor, Doctor Zhivago, Hannah and Her Sisters, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf and My Fair Lady sitting on my digital box! I think I may have a problem!! Old movies were just full of one-liners and chemistry between the actors that you don’t really see nowadays.

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The Interview:

Peter & Miryam: So congratulations Lissy, you've been a member of SoGoPro for 1 year and 8 weeks already! How does that feel?

Lissy: Thanks Peter and Miryam! Has it been that long already? Wow! It feels great to be a part of a community in which every person is different. There are so many people that try to emulate others. SoGoPro is a place where people can be themselves and showcase their talents. I miss the Photo of the Month and also when Nick would post writings that he received from the members. Another thing to think about reviving is the Southern BBQ! I wasn’t around for it but I have so many questions that the Hellick could answer! Haha! It was nice seeing SoGoPro through other people’s eyes and minds.

Peter & Miryam: I’m with you on that note, Lissy! I can still remember us talking about being the newbies; sad to not have been part of SoGoPro since the beginning. Do you still feel like that? Or has that changed in some ways?

Lissy: Yes, I definitely remember that conversation! Every now and then I get that feeling like “I wish Hilarie knew my name and said it in her vlog!” (The second one I believe in which she mentions a BUNCH of users http://sogopro.comw/node/361) or “It must have been interesting to see SoGoPro when it was a blog.” You create new memories though. Now, it may be at a lull, but there are always people in the Cbox to talk to! I hope with the warmer seasons coming we start to see more action on the site and blog.

Peter & Miryam: Well, since the beginning of spring it sure seems like we’re all slowly waking up from our winter sleep! By now you have become very involved in the team as well, not just through chat, but also through twitter and blogs on the street team page. Now there have been some recent changes on the street team page and therefore in future you will also be part of the book club vlogs, right?

Lissy: Kaitlan Olivia did a book club vlog earlier this month that was cool to see (http://sogoprostreet.blogspot.com/2011/03/kaitlan-olivias-first-book-club-vlog.html). I know we all miss the old vlogs, but to see a member take initiative and see how she interpreted the book was refreshing. When I went to Wilmington, I bought We Have Always Lived in the Castle. It’s a bit out of my comfort zone…I’m trying to expand my horizons! Next time I look halfway decent, I’ll do a vlog for it!

Everyone who knows me knows I have a Twitter obsession. I will continue to spread the word via Twitter. Facebook isn’t really my niche anymore…Twitter is! My friends actually say it’s easier to get a hold of me through Twitter than it is to call or text. Sad right?! I have been a bit busy—I had my sister’s wedding, job searching, two internships. My goal is to get back into promoting the website and Street Team and contribute more!

Peter & Miryam: Are you nervous about that? What made you get so involved?

Lissy: Not nervous at all! Excited, actually! I asked my friend Liz if she knew if Hilarie had a Twitter. Peyton was my favorite character and of course, I would have to follow her if she did! I found SoGoPro, questioned WHY her name would be that, then hit follow. I checked out the website and hung around the Cbox for a bit. Annie and Niamh were there and I felt so welcomed!

Since then I’ve had Nick write a blog about a tweet I sent him and I saw his play, The Dying Words of Edison Strange when it was a table read in Athens, Ohio (http://sogoprostreet.blogspot.com/2010/10/dying-words-of-edison-strange-review.html). Drove an hour and 15 minutes but it was worth it! Nick commented on my blog, which made my life! I also won the FUL Backpack contest! That backpack was very useful during my Nashville trip!

I got to meet Kt, Ali and Andrea in Wilmy and it was so nice to finally put faces to the usernames! They were so helpful and my friend and I had a blast there!

The members at SoGoPro keep you coming back. Each person wants to see the projects that are produced a success and that’s why I am so involved.

Peter & Miryam: Yes, I remember how excited you (or actually we as well) were about that blog and the experiences you made! I followed your trip through the pictures and tweets you posted, still waiting for a blog on that ;)

What do books mean to you?

Lissy: Thank you  I’m a busy girl! My Twitter feed was full of updates…maybe I’ll put them together and do a blog for everyone!

Books are an escape from reality. It is nice to come home from a tough day and read about someone else’s struggles or their triumphs. The books from the Book Club have all shown that the main character is different from those around them and deals with the pressures of a society that can’t accept them for who they are. Reading keeps your mind active and teaches you to embrace words.

Peter & Miryam: So true. So, if you could live in a book, which one would it be? Why? And would you like to come into the book's world as yourself or as another fictional character?

Lissy: That is a tough question! If I could live in a book? The Great Gatsby. I remember reading it in high school thinking that I wanted to be like Daisy and just go out for a night on the town in 1920s New York. The whole culture of that era intrigues me. The notion of the American Dream was so distant from what the characters actually experienced. There was so much going on during the ‘20s! I would have wanted to be myself and just see what life was like in those days.

Peter & Miryam: Oh, I can picture it! You would have a blast.

Do you feel like SoGoPro has had any impact on you/your life/your passions/etc. so far? How?

Lissy: I do feel like SoGoPro has had an impact on my life. I stop and look around at my surroundings more than I did before. I took my camera out this summer and snapped photos of the trees in my backyard and the flowers near the front of my house. I definitely notice the beauty in the simplest things now.

I have also become obsessed with books as you all can tell! Thank you Hilarie, Nick and KT for teaching me how to love books again.

Peter & Miryam: Mhh, that’s lovely! So then what was your favorite blog/vlog/podcast/project so far?

Lissy: Favorite vlog…a toss up between Bobby Gorgeous (“he looks like a 4^th grader!” “If you see this dog, do not bring him near us!”) http://www.sogopro.com/node/428 or the Actor’s Guide where they flip the pages of the book. I used to quote it all of the time! “Accusation: OJ!” “Disperse the giddy goths.” http://www.sogopro.com/node/412 I could laugh at that for hours!!

Blog would be...the one where Hil talks about what kind of person you are. Lake, river, ocean. I need to find the link to that! Okay got it! (http://www.sogopro.com/node/1072). I’m pretty sure I’m an Ocean person. I want to explore new things, but I always end up staying in my safety zone. Too afraid to take the plunge into the depths of the vast ocean, yet wanting to spread my wings and jump full force into a new task. Maybe I’m in between an Ocean and a Lake? Not too sure!

Podcast was the Christmas podcast. Hearing about their childhoods was really funny and gave us a glimpse of what the Hellick were like as kids! http://sogopro.com/node/1134

As far as projects go, there’s always something! I loved being in the Secret Santa this year.

http://sogoprostreet.blogspot.com/2010/10/hey-guys-anneliese-here-just-quick.html

I know it’s a Street Team project, but so many were involved in making it great. Thank you Annie and Astrid for setting it up and to the fabulous Laura Mil for my gifts! I enjoyed the suspense of waiting until Christmas. I celebrate Hanukkah so now I know what it feels like to hold out those extra weeks!!

Peter & Miryam: Very good choices! And yes, I remember how difficult the wait was. And I loved how the Secret Santa not only brought us closer together, but also made us talk about how our different cultures (with SoGoPro being spread out over the entire globe) approach that season of the year!

You have been to Wilmington already and as you told us (and one can see from your pictures), it was a wonderful trip! Now, imagine yourself back there, just strolling along the street and suddenly standing infront of the Hellick, what would you do? How would that scenario go?

Lissy: Wilmington was amazing!! Liz (my wonderful OTH friend!) dealt with me that whole time. I commend her for that.

I met Kt and he was friendly as can be. I’m kicking myself for not getting a picture with him. He’s a busy man! But thank you for everything you did for us!

So I see the Hellick right? I take off and run toward them…or maybe just try and act casual. Knowing me though, I’d just say “Hi. I’m Alyssa. I’m a huge fan.” A few nods later, I’d have them sign my FUCT tee or whatever SGP item I have with me and take a picture with them. I would also thank them for creating Southern Gothic Productions. Without it, my life would be pretty boring and unimaginative!

If this meeting was in a restaurant, it wouldn’t have happened because bothering them during a meal isn’t the greatest idea right?! I want to go back to Wilmington now! Imagine if that scenario was true?! A girl can dream!

Peter & Miryam: Oh yes, a girl may dream…and please never stop dreaming!! It has been a real pleasure to talk to you again. May I say that we miss you on the cbox…maybe we should put a twitterlink in there for you, haha ;) So all the best to you; and we hope that you will soon find the perfect job for yourself! Thank you so much for agreeing to be interviewed and giving so openhearted answers.

Lissy: Thank you Peter and Miryam for including me in the interview series! I loved it when it first appeared and I am excited to help you launch the new series! I’ll definitely try harder to be in the Cbox more often!!

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Hope you guys enjoyed reading the interview as much as we enjoyed doing it! Feel free to comment, you should know how it works by now ;) …and come back in 2 weeks to check out what Anna has to say!!

CONTEST ALERT!!

2011-03-27T08:23:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys, Anika (Aniiyy) here!
Basically as most of you know I have written a book and it is due to be published in the next few weeks (after I get it back from Laura McCann). However it still needs a front cover.

Now this is where the contest comes in: who can make the best cover for my book!
The book is called "For My Daughters" and the subtitle is "Because they are ours"

I have included an example entry so you know what I am looking for. It doesn't have to look like the example entry because it is just an example. I have also included a summary for the book so that it give you an idea of what I am looking for. However if you are unsure or have any questions please feel free to message me :) (twitter: @flawedangelxx or SGP user: http://sogopro.com/user/534)

Dimensions: Cover must be 1788 pixels wide and 2555 pixels high
Prizes: The winner will recieve a free signed copy of my book and a SoGoPro wristband, and I will mention the winner in my Author's note at the beginning.
Deadline: Friday 8th April
How to enter: Email your entries to angel.aniik@gmail.com or upload it on twitpic and tweet me it to me
Please Note: Make sure all entries are your own (including photos taken)
Thanks All I Hope You Join
Love You All
Anika xxx

Summary: Max West is a widower raising Phoebe, his four-year-old daughter. Phoebe has to live with the fact that the day she was born is also the day of her mother's death. As her fifth year without her mother approaches, Phoebe finds solace in her godmother, Amy Riley, and her daughter, Grace Crawford, another single parent family.

Amy Riley is a successful fashion designer who spends most of her days raising her four-year-old daughter, Grace, while her wayward boyfriend is travelling the world making the next best film. As the fifth year without her best friend looms she finds comfort in her ex-boyfriend, Max, and his daughter, Phoebe.

These two “broken” families have a tough week to face as the dreaded day approaches. However through their past, present and debateable future will their choices affect the outcome both parents clearly want and are simply denying? Or will Phoebe and Grace loose the only “whole” family they have ever known?

A message from Peter and Miryam!

2011-03-17T07:02:00.000-07:00

Dear Street Team Members,

Do you have some questions you always wanted to ask a Team member? Did you ever wonder how their lives might be like? How they became who they are now? Or do you maybe have a story worth sharing with your fellow Team members? Well then you landed at the right place!

Our community is very unique- it is created through people that helped to make this company what it is now, not by rules and regulations that are stiff and unwilling to bend. It is made of people who are spread globally and therefore are all different in their lifestyles, cultures, etc. But we all have at least two things in common: We love SoGoPro and we love art in all its different shapes.

I have noticed for a while now, that a lot of us are not only interested in sharing their love of art with us, but even more. One can always find lots of comments under the Sunday interviews.
Even for me our Sunday interviews were always one of the most interesting sections of our Website. They always helped me to see the people behind their names. Suddenly they didn’t seem so blurry anymore. Through finding out about their likes, dislikes, background stories, etc. I felt like I could relate to them easier. I felt connected to those people, which made it even more enjoyable to discuss SoGopro, art, etc. with them. I believe that the interviews always enhanced our team spirit.

Because of this, I would like to expand this section. I would like to help you to share your stories with us.

I think there are still so many sunken treasures within us all that are waiting to be lifted out of the deepness of our souls. I want you to find out a bit more about our differences, our likenesses, our cultures, etc. And from your reactions towards the Sunday interviews so far I’m guessuing that you feel the same way. Stories from you all are waiting to be told. Hopefully you will open your gates for us and take us along on your journeys.You will show us part of your wold, through which we will understand you, your culture and others better.

Right now I’m so curious that I can hardly wait to start. I would love to talk to all of you at once. Probably while reading this some of you might even have some questions or stories that they want to ask/talk about aswell. I can’t wait for your responses. So please don’t hesitate to contact me or Miryam.

Check our profiles to see how you can get in touch with us or contact us over the cbox. Help us to create the stories you would like to read about. We will collect your questions and ideas and get in touch with the people you want to read about!

Peter and Miryam

Musicopedia: Journey

2011-03-15T02:53:00.000-07:00

Most women of the 70s wildly screamed while he was running across the stage in tight jeans singing, but it was 1981 when they released their biggest single ever Don’t Stop Believin’ and female fans all over the world couldn’t resist throwing underwear parts at him at concerts. With Rolling Stone’s no 76 Best Male Singer Steve Perry Journey began their journey in early 70s formed from ex band of Santana.

Slight mix of rock and jazz with rhythm and blues did not any good to the band as their first eponymous album was minor, and so was the second album. The band decided to go slightly mainstream in pop/rock department and in 1977 Steve Perry joined Journey as lead singer. With Steve’s powerful voice the band quickly became highly popular and was often compared with Foreigner. With Perry on board Journey’s album Infinity (’78) was top seller and their hits like Wheel In The Sky scored high ranks in charts.

With next album, released in 1979 Evolution was ranked even higher than Infinity and for the first time Journey scored Billboard’s Top 20 singles with ‘Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’, followed by ‘80s Any Way You Want It as number 8.

But, it was 1981 when Journey released their best selling album Escape - full of chart topping hits like Don’t Stop Believin’... 'just a small town girl, living in a lonely world ...', Who’s Cryin’ Now and one of the best ballads of all time, Open Arms (no, Mariah wasn’t first to record that song!) that is their highest ranked single ever. It were the glory days for Journey as the band toured all over the world with sold-out shows. However, being head over heels with their fame Journey made some mistakes as their sold the rights to their songs for commercials, games that caused a lot of criticism from the media which rapidly went from calling them the best band to dead end. They were all proven wrong in 1983 when Journey released their second best album Frontiers with memorable single Faithfully, while becoming the best album selling and touring band of the world (at the time). All well shown in documentary Frontiers And Beyond with backstage footage and live performances for over 80 000 people.

After finishing Frontiers tour the band was on a break as individual members focused on solo projects, but were back two years later (1986) to record new album Raised on Radio. Despite some changes in band members the band was backed up by Randy Jackson (American Idol judge these days) in vocals. Multiplatinum album brought hits like Girl Can’t Help it and other Top 20 hits.

Back on a break, Journey was inactive till 1994 and reunited in 1995. For the next 3 years the band perfored with the same members as previously, but in 1998 Steve Perry left Journey due to his hip replacement surgery after having a hike in Hawaii and was unable to perform. Perry was replaced by Steve Agueri with whom the band recorded next album in 2001, but it was not as successful as previous ones with Perry. In 2005 Journey was honored Hollywood Walk Of Fame and to fans surprise, Steve Perry showed up at the event. Agueri’s throat problems led Journey to seek for another lead singer and Jeff Soto took his place in winter 2006. As Journey was looking for a new direction they hired new lead singer Arnel Pineda who was somewhat a YouTube sensation for singing Journey covers. With Pineda Journey released new album Revelation in 2007 that was a hit. One year later they went on tour, one of their most successful and grossed over 35 million dollars, making it a platinum album. Their new album will be out May 2011.
Let's all recall some great songs from Journey!

xoxo,
Kasia

Kaitlan Olivia's First Book Club VLOG!

2011-03-07T08:12:00.000-08:00

Music Thursday: Rock Musicopedia: Foreigner

2011-03-02T10:10:00.000-08:00

The history of music shows that it really does take talent and determination to fully succeed. Some bands lasted few years, some few months but some bands remain active till today. Despite the change in members, people's love for music gives them energy and still pushes them forward. Formed over 30 years ago, one of the world's best rock/hardrock bands is still in the game, touring worldwide with only one original member (Mick Jones) that led Foreigner since 1976.

Every music enthusiast should recognize Lou Gramm's voice in most Foreigner smash hits that made them sell over 70 million albums worldwide that turned out to be multi-platinum bestsellers and charts toppers.

Foreigner (formed 1976) was established by Mick Jones and Ian McDonald, who's an ex King Crismon member. They were joined by Lou Gramm, Dennis Elliott, All Greenwood and Ed Gagliardi. The name 'Foreigner' was given after the fact that only Jones, McDonald and Elliott were British, while the rest was American.

Band's first album, released March '77 brought to daylight first hits like 'Cold As Ice' and 'Feels Like The First Time', with more hits to come with next albums. For their 3^rd album 'Head Games' Gagliardi was replaced with Rick Willis, and later on in 1980 goodbye was said by Jones to Greenwood and McDonald, making the band a quartet. Their 4^th album called simply '4' was their second bestselling album in career with hits like 'Urgent' or 'Waiting For A Girl Like You' and others. While on tour promoting '4' Foreigner invited new band members for support: Bob Mayo, Mark Rivera and Peter Reilich, and only the first two made it till 1988.

Year 1984 brought the best hit single from Foreigner 'I Want To Know What Love Is' from album 'Agent Provocateur' that was fully written by Jones and performed with New Yersey Mass Choir. Another hit single from that album is 'That Was Yesterday' (link below to listen).

Three years after Foreigner releases another album 'Inside Information' with more hits like 'Say You Will' and goes on tour in Europe, Australia and Japan. In the late 80's Jones and Gramm get involved in solo projects with highly successful solo albums from both of them. With Gramm on tour, Jones hired new lead singer – Johnny Edwards with whom Foreigner recorded new and their worst ever album 'Unusual Heat'. The members changed again until Gramm's return in 1992 when the band released their The Very Best Of... album, another success. After that, Foreigner made their second worst kind of 'comeback' album 'Mr. Moonlight' that gained terrible reviews.

Foreigner days were numbered when in 1997, Lou Gramm was diagnosed with brain tumor and underwent a surgery. Medications had huge impact on his weight and general appearance, making him lost his gift – one of the best singing voices ever. Gramm was never able to sing like before.

For Foreigner's 25^th anniversary in 2002 their best albums were remastered and enhanced and packed with extra goods. It was also a year when for the last time Gramm and Jones joined forces t play together, despite Gramm's condition. In 2003 they both went separate ways, and one year later Jones gathered new members and after some more changes the new Foreigner is finally here: Jones, Thom Gimbel, Kelly Hansen (lead singer), Jeff Pilson, Michael Bluestein, Jason Sutter.

Lou Gramm got himself a new band and is now playing Christian rock. In 2010 and 2011 Foreigner collaborated or will join on stage such bands as Styx, Kansas and Journey.

Check out some of the band's greatest hits!

xoxo,

Kasia

An Original Song...

2011-03-02T08:56:00.000-08:00

Hi folks.
As you know I occasionally find a moment or two to record something on my silly Garageband program.
Yesterday was a busy, stressful, chaotic afternoon. Those are the best times to create, I've found- If you defend your right to some free time in the middle of a horrific day, you will feel better.

I am usually not interested in sharing "rough" recordings- but given the energy of our group lately- and considering this blog hasn't seen a new entry since the end of January- How about you all take a listen to a demo of my song "Truce".

I'm a harmony freak so- you'll probably never hear a song from me without at least 6 tracks on it (vocals/ me on flute/fake strings).
Made this in about 3 hours- like I said- ROUGH VERSION!

<3K
PS. Word is, we can expect a blog on SoGoPro this week! Keep your eyes open for it :)

Concert for Hope

2011-01-28T06:24:00.001-08:00

Hi friends-

I apologize for hardly appearing in the C-box, on Twitter- or anywhere else for that matter. Im going to tell you all a little story about where my life has led me these last few months.
For a long time now my father has been sick with Prostate cancer, along with several other health issues that have severely affected his ability to function. Working on a farm, for example, has become an incredibly difficult task for him- heck, so is walking. Currently he is at risk of losing one of his feet altogether thanks to an odd disease no doctor in Boston has been able to identify yet... let alone treat.

Resulting from my father's condition I've had to significantly change my life. I go home every weekend from school to take care of certain things he no longer can. With all the snow we've been getting, Ive had to be up in the yard doing physical work he once could. I don't mind, but the emotional weight has definitely changed my ability to accomplish certain things.

All the while, I'm supposed to graduate college this year. I'm a senior- and should be focussing on my future. Clearly, my life has come second to the demands of my family but what has definitely suffered is this blog/my work for SGP. This is something I am struggling with, as in the past it was so easy to keep up with everything. Not to mention it was/is one of the few outlets I have outside of school to keep me pushing toward a career in the entertainment industry. It's been hard to watch everything slip out of my hands for a while.

It is not a case of biting off more than I can chew, it's literally a matter of finding the moments to sit in front of the screen and focus.

While my life was in the middle of falling to pieces, I was approached by this new non-profit organization, Concert for Hope, Inc., started up by one of my best friends here at Umass Lowell. Mike is familiar with my work with SoGoPro and felt as though I'd make an incredible addition to their team. I was offered a job as their Public Relations Chair and happily took it.

Concert for Hope will team up with one charity a year and will put on several musical events in an effort to raise money for them. This year we are working with the Breast Cancer Prevention Institute in New Jersey.

We feature a band, which I am a member of, and a full orchestra- all volunteer players.

Over the next several months our band will appear in various venues, and in June our full orchestra will perform a complete program. Our company will also offer musical services to personal events, such as parties, business functions, funerals etc.

In the future we hope to offer personal, commissoned works dedicated to friends, families and victims of cancer etc. which will be performed at our large events.

I wanted to share with you the importance of music and it's power over the human body. I wanted you to hear about this new opportunity for myself, and for you all. How can you help those who suffer from terrible illnesses? Is there a way to make a difference?

We hope so.

Please check out our website, http://www.concertforhope.net/ (which is a huge work in progress...) and "like" us on Facebook... http://www.facebook.com/ConcertforHope

And as far as SoGo stuff goes- fear not. Though Ive been saying the same thing for a few months now, I will be back and we will get our features up and running again! In the meantime, hold on to hope :)

I love christmas!

2010-12-23T00:38:00.001-08:00

I look forward to seeing all the Secret Santa photos on flickr!

New Years Revolution

2010-12-18T13:23:00.000-08:00

Alright everyone. I will make a promise to be back in action for real, no joke- all is a go- after the New Year!

Senior year in college so far, is not what I expected. Everything is moving at a very fast pace and my computer literally collects dust! I feel like I hardly live in my room. No fear! I have not forgotten anything- nor do I intend on letting all this time go by for much longer.

I always have you in my thoughts and do check in with some brief frequency. I apologize for letting a few of our fun segments come to a dramatic halt- but they are coming back!

Don't forget to enter the SoGo Get Local Contest- I have some greaaaat prizes :) :) :)

Wouldn't you love a signed Hilarie tee? Wristband, tattoo, and more? hehehe...

Secret Santa Reminder

2010-12-01T08:52:00.000-08:00

Ok guys so it is now the first of December, and I am guessing the more organised amongst us have now managed to send off the Secret santa parcels.

Please do not forget to gift wrap the gifts and in the event that you need to sent overseas DO please get a wriggle on.

Looking forward to seeing pictures of the packages are they arrive safely at their destinations. Remember to post on flickr, tagging 'SoGoProSecretSanta' and then pop the gift under the tree and wait paitently for Christmas day!

Then of course on Christmas day, please post a picture of the gift and use the description box to tell us who you think your Santa is !

Annie

Music Thursday: Artist of the week - Grace Potter & The Nocturnals

2010-11-25T01:57:00.000-08:00

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals are not new in music business, but still new to some music listeners. Founded in 2002, the band has already released 3 long play albums and two live albums with many hit singles including ‘Ah, Mary’ and ‘Tiny Light’ that were featured in tv shows. The band itself performed in tv talk shows like The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson, Ellen DeGeneres and Grace Potter was a gues star on One Tree Hill making a duet with Bethany Joy Galeotti. Grace’s powerful voice is often compared to legendary Janis Joplin, and with band’s music style their music is very refreshing and new in today’s music business.

At first, newly formed band looked for inspiration to artists like James Brown but widen the search to rock, folk and hard rock. The band’s music style is somewhere between those genres and can’t be qualified just as one genre. Among Grace Potter the band members are also Scott Tournet on guitars and harmonica, Matthew Burr on drums, Catherine Popper on bass guitar and vocals and Bryan Dondero on bass and upright bass guitars and mandolin who was replaced with Benny Yurco. Grace herself is multi-instrumentalist who plays piano and various types of guitars.

It didn’t take them long to be noticed. In 2005 they signed with Hollywood Records and released their debut album Nothing Like The Water on May 23rd, 2006. They were also nominated for Boston Music Awards in two categories: Best Locale Female Artist and Best New Local Act and won/was nominated other awards. The album is more melancholic and bluesy than other two.

In 2007 Grace Potter and The Nocturnals released another album This Is Somewhere which number of hits that were featured in tv shows soundtracks including One Tree Hill, Grey’s Anatomy and Brothers & Sisters to name a few. In summer of 2008 the band was an opening act for The Black Crowes tour and also opened for Dave Matthews Band.

2010 brought the newest album, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, by far most energetic and the Vermont based band landed #6 on iTunes Top 100 and #2 on iTunes Rock Albums. On the release date the band gave a free concert on Burlington, Vermont’s Church Street Marketplace that attracted thousands of fans to listen to their new music. Their eclectic style in music and stage presence makes a great impression and reminds of the 60s ans 70s.

Funny fact: Grace Potter landed her own chocolate flavor with Lake Champlain Chocolates (Vermont located) that’s named Grace Under Fire – dark chocolate with pistachios and pepper.

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals combine great music arrangements with smart lyrics with hidden meaning like we hear in ‘Ah, Mary’. Their live performances are one of the best these days and you can find it yourself checking the links below.

xoxo,

Kasia

Music Thursday: Artist of the week - Diane Birch

2010-11-18T02:10:00.000-08:00

Diane Birch made her mark in the world in 2009 when S-Curve records released her debut album Bible Belt. The title refers to her childhood when she traveled with her parents around the world due to Seventh-Day Adventist mission work (her father is a preacher). While growing up she was not allowed to listen to popular music, only classical, opera and church music that influenced music style she has today. Parental disapproval did not discourage her from pursuing career as a musician. After moving to Los Angeles, she was playing piano at local places and became a pianist to hire. While performing one of her gigs she was noticed by Prince who invited her over to his house for a little music session. Diane’s MySpace page drove more attention to her and her music and in 2006 she landed a publishing deal in London where she wrote most of her songs from Bible Belt album. In 2007 she moved back to US – New York and started her adventure with S-Curve Records.

Bible Belt was highly reviewed in major music magazines and was overall highly anticipated. Diane invited interesting guest stars for her debut like Lenny Kaye from The Patti Smith Band, Adam Blackstone from The Roots/Jay-Z and others. All the songs from Bible Belt were written – lyrics and music by Diane and she admits having her religious father influence in her music, remembering when she used to wear gothic make up and having her father waiting for her at home reading Bible in order to save her soul. Songs say about her raising up as a preacher’s daughter as well as her time spent in LA or NY. Bible Belt is a journey through her young live and makes listeners wonder what will be next on her next album.

Her music style is an amazing mix of pop, folk, blues, soul with great instrumental arrangements using trumpets, tambourines and flugelhorn. Diane herself plays piano and guitars. To that, add her husky, deep voice and you will receive a recipe for success. Her singing and playing instruments is simply effortless but the effect is amazing! Can’t get enough!

Check out Diane’s live performance and music video.

xoxo,
Kasia