How Music and Art is Getting Me Through the Semester

While this semester isn't as hectic as previous semesters, exam week is here to make me feel stressed and helpless. I calm myself by listening to good music while looking at amazing art. My favorite artist at the moment, Hajin Bae, really inspires creativity in my struggling time. Here is a few of my favorite picture by Hajin and the songs I listened to while looking at it.

1. 

This picture makes me feel euphoric and at ease.  In my head, I see two young adults who are unsure of themselves and the world around them.  The songs I listened to while admiring this picture are mostly rock n' roll. Here is a link to the songs I listened to:  Virtual Paradise

2. 

This happy spring photo makes me want to walk barefoot on the grass! While I am being crammed with tests and essays, this photo makes me feel free and bliss.  The music I listened to while enjoying this pic are indie pop. Here's a link to the songs I listened to: Spring Break

3. 

This photo brings me back to my childhood days.  Before middle school I had loved riding my bike.  I had stopped riding my bike because the neighborhood bike gang took over the street.  This art reminds me of those happy times when I was carefree. The odd mix of music I listened to while enjoying this picture is indie pop. Here is a link to the songs I listened to Sweet Protagonist

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Hajin Bae is a phenomenal artist. Check out her other work here: https://www.facebook.com/hajinb?fref=ts

Cotangents*of Yevgeny

One of my poems has been published on a site! 

Here's the link to the page!

Cotangents of Yevgeny

-a teenage love story

Johanna Salinas

Part 1

Dec. 20, 2012

“I hope the apocalypse

will be as pretty as you!”

Yevgeny shouts

as he forgets

himself into the

brown ankle deep puddle

he insists is a pond.

His Queen, Yudina, blushes

a rosy bouquet as

her virginal

heart snaps

this moment into

her Memory Museum.

Please Yevgeny, please

don’t break her virginal

heart.  Dang it!

Get yourself out

of the mud and

into her love!

Do it now

before she realizes

what a total loser you are.

Do it now

before the earth caves in

with the stars.

Part 2

Dec. 21, 2012

“Welcome to the nightmare!”

Yevgeny sang as he

hid from the future

under a pile of dead leaves,

but lost himself

in the darkness

of a vacuum

of beautiful things.

Dec. 22, 2012

“I dreamed

we were dead,”

Yudina breathed.

“And I remember being so happy.”

Part 3

A Letter to Yevgeny From His Queen

Dear Goofball,                                                                                                                     

Somewhere in heaven,

an angel must be fainting from madness

because I made a wish

on the constellation

of pimples below your eyes.

Because tossing well-earned money

down a well

just isn’t enough

to contain my adoration of YOU.

Killing those dumb dinosaurs

couldn’t have said it more.

Streets graffiti me with neon and traffic

but all I know is you.  

All I see is your silvery surprised blink

as I dance along to the parade song

stuck in your head.

Somewhere a village is being deprived

 of an idiot because

I wished for you.

 

*the opposite of a tangent 

Swag Hag Poem

My throat’s all scratched from this screaming I’ve done
My diaphragm is all rubbery from these animal calls
But I carry on until you answer my distresses

O Captain, o Captain! Take me away from these generic hoes
I’m too swag for this ghetto
These bitches be hatin’ but you were always mine for the takin’

So take me now—like I did you…
Please. We’re friends. We’ve partied together and cried together.
I even bought you taco bell.

Take me away on your disco stick because
 This club can’t handle me and my electric sex pants

What good is your love when just our chakras touch…
I need your grasp, I need your smell…and your sexy, dramatic stare

Captain, my Captain, you may not be fly like Kanye
And I may not be glam like Beyoncé,
But this club can’t handle us right now

this poem is for my poetry class. please tell me how I can make it better :)

a free verse for my poetry class

It was Yevgeny
I woke up in your dream
At first I didn’t really mind
just swimming in your sound
kissing your freckled heArt
dancing through your museum of memories

Is the DANGER talking to me again?
Don’t listen to it, don’t listen to it...

the DANGER told me to suck the gun
to melt the bullet with my bones

I try to look at you to bring me back
but sanity is already fed up with my bull
doesn’t want me to return to the norm

These dented sunglasses distorts my view of you

Efforts and sweat to stay bland, I’ve failed
I’m the most unique piece of crap  I know
Woop dee freaking doo

the DANGER laughs at my crazy
the DANGER becomes my crazy
I AM THE DANGER

I am the murder of this elegant museum
this isn’t paint on my palms
this isn’t remorse in my eyes

I see you in the crevice of the heArt

Nooo!  Nooo! My innocence cries as my inner bitch dies
I’m sorry, nooo

But it wasn’t you dammit
it was freaking Yevgeny



This poem is for my poetry class.  Please comment for any suggestions.  :)

My Sestina Attempt

October Tears

Never square, never square, never be square just

embrace your demons.  Hold

your fears close like you do me.

Forget your name, your love, your past and

escape far off the grid.  Leave 

you debts unpaid and enter this

nameless place—this

vast green land.  Just

two naked souls drowning in orange leaves.

The earth shall hold

us in her womb and

we’ll be reborn.  A newer you and crazier me.

Drink my October tears and worship me.

I’ll never overlook this

sexy, murderous tale.  And

no fucked up lies will make me go.  So just

cradle my demons cuz I’m never wiggling from your hold.

I’m too mystified to leave.

Though it’s easy to do, you could never leave.

You’re too molded to escape me.

My loveliness is strong like my hold.

You can’t get enough of this

nomadic romance, this radical tale.  Just

stay radical, stay radical!  And

never be square! Let’s make everyday a holiday and

swim naked in the fallen leaves.

Light a candle to our anarchistic way.  Just

you and I.  Two learned nomads.  A fairy tale written by me

and lived by us.  I’ll forever embrace this

nameless place.  I’ll hold

your bread and hold

your hand. And

I promise not to bagel you or escape this

nomadic romance. To leave

would become a regretful life for me.

Let’s make everyday a holiday and just

Our demons will hold us and we’ll neverleave

our turbulent love. You won’t bagel me

and I won’t ruin this liberal romance. Off the grid and just.

This was written for my poetry class.  Tell me how I can fix it.  :D

Her realization- a poem

After painting your
love for her in long letters,
Thinking she'll never
love you back, She weeps into
her pillow wondering what could have



(this was supposed to be a tanka, please comment if I did it wrong)

It needs love- a poem by me

It needs love

Rock star from another dimension

Trapped inside a clown costume

Tall and dark and broken but

He’s been painted bright and jolly

But the make-up can’t cover his woe

Or his battle wounds

He needs something beautiful

He needs something great

Something he doesn’t know

He just stares at the big Ferris and

Waits for something—anything to lighten his darkness

Breathing in the carnival lights, exhaling the nicotine

Then he noticed her

Gentle and mature…beautifully weird

So he followed her to see what she’s about

To understand her soft gaze and her sweet way

To taste her soul and feel her beauty

He wanted her

He needed her

 

"Treat Her Right" Book Review

Treat Her Right by Lori Foster reminded me of the Marla Singer-Narrator Jack relationship of Fight Club.  In Treat Her Right, single –dad Zack is an average all-American man who becomes captivated by his kooky neighbor Wynn.  Wynn is arrogant in a beautiful way—she lets her emotions get the best of her.   She’s large and has messy hair, but Zack can’t help his attraction toward her.  It sort of repulses him that he finds her beautiful.  It’s almost like how in Fight Club how Jack can’t help but dwell on Marla Singer.  Both Jack and Zack become fixated by women they want to dislike. 

This story was funny and a quick read.

5 out of 5 stars

Caught in the Act Book Review

Lori Foster's Caught in the Act is about an undercover cop, Mick, who falls in love with a suspense writer, Delilah. He's been watching her pass his favorite cafe and when he finally gets the courage to approach her, some jerk tried to shoot her.  Mick took a bullet for her which lead to Delilah kissing him.  The writing style was pretty good, everything was described beautifully and really painted itself in my mind.  I like how their love is so true, but I didn't like how they fell in love fast -- a little too fast for my taste.  I'd have preferred if their love started off small or unnoticed and then slowly grew.  I also didn't like how Delilah goes on like being a published writer isn't a big deal.  She is a bit of an enigma.  I remember the noting in my eBook that she was a sexy version of Annie Wilkes (the enigma from Misery).  Delilah's delicate and feminine, but she's a sucker for danger.  Overall, I give this story 3.5 out of 5.

It's About Time Novella Review

This story was featured in the Bad Boys of Summer novella collection.

Erin McCarthy's It's About Time is about a prosecutor named Trish who believes that she's incapable of being loved.  She shares a pleasant commiseration with a lonely drunk at a bar.  They share their hearts to each other and reveal things they're afraid of admitting to themselves.  This was a fast read and it was perfectly paced.  It's About Time is a hilarious examination of modern love.  It is well-written and I'd love to read more of Erin McCarthy's work.  Overall 4/5 stars. 

The Secret Life of Bryan Book Review

Lori Foster's novel the Secret Life of Bryan is a modern romance between two people pretending to be things they're not. A bounty hunter disguised as a preacher falls for a woman of high society who's pretending to be a hooker.  This novel is funny and so real.  It made me think about the problems within a community.  We mostly think about the world at large because it's just so mainstream, but overlook the problems close by because they've become our norms.  This novel is so well-written and a quick read.  I finished it within five days.  4.5 out of 5 stars!  

Our Love- A poem

You standout and I just standoff
In this brainwashed institute
Of love, where everyone is trying too hard to be cute
And funny, and everyone is acting like someone they're not
But we're too radical to get caught
In their square ways and blues
Cause we're too young to worry or watch the news
We're too busy partying hard and drowning in punk rock
Our love is beautifully genuine, our love is pretty rare
As others try to be perfect and play it safe
We're already French kissing at the church fair
The nuns are praying for us and our basket case
Love, oh just let them glare
You and I are just going through a faze

A poem I wrote. Please comment
Sweet Bad Romance
Rah, rah, rahahah! RAH!
Dancing in the woods and singing in the street
Taking things for granted and everything that's free
Wasting Wednesday nights with you in the park and chowing Cajun
I'll be your Sweet Talk and you'll forever be my HAVEN
You're pretty cool for a guy who never laughs or smiles
As caring as a mother yet as cold as Joe's raging bile
I could just drown in your soups stirred with patience and escape in your blanket knitted with love
You're so beautiful, angry, poetic, hysterical, and wonderful- I just can't get enough
Don't ever say sorry for being narrow and plain 
And I'll stop apologizing for my attitudes and complaints 
I'll still love you if you'd burn down the city and start a war
And I know you'd still love me if I drowned the world or erase the stars
You're my psychopath and I'm your devoted nurse
We'll rock this town with our bohemian blues and love curse
'Cause I can't escape you and you shall never be free from me
There's no place better or worse we want to be