Letters to Electra - Post-Production Pessimism

20/5/15

Dear Electra,

One week after my birthday in September 2014, I chose to audition for my school's production of 'Beauty and the Beast'. A week later, the cast list was given out. I remember forcing Gwen to sprint all the way to my school's secondary campus and scanning the list to ascertain who was accepted. I was relieved to find my name under the list of ensemble singers.

After undergoing painful rehearsals and learning the harmonies, I swell with pride to know that I enjoyed being part of the 'Beauty and the Beast' cast. This was my first ever production to participate in and good grief, what a brilliant cast and crew to work with in spirit! Although I will see them at school every day, I will miss their presence at the theatre and in the rehearsal room. As I write this I have the foreboding presentiment that I am meant to be at the theatre to rehearse! Haven't you had the same feeling, Electra? 'Beauty and the Beast' has grown on me like poison ivy.

As this era has closed, everything has returned back to normal - completing home/schoolwork, fulfilling my chores, writing letters to you frequently and maintaining my friendships. Oh, Electra, if only my life were to be a secret garden full of eternal growing fruits and blossoming bright flowers. That garden and other dreams of mine must remain in my imagination and stories.

I am planning to release a long-due book review next Monday. Clue: the book is about a young girl who records her daily activities in her diary. Does it sound familiar to you?

Stay powerful and beautiful as usual,

- M ★ 

Letters to Electra - Insecurities Exist, Sadly

13/5/15

Dear Electra,

Would it be appropriate for me to write about the progression of my acne in this letter? I have just come out of the bathroom after washing my face and my mother warned me about the severe appearance of pimples on my face. First of all, mother, I have no control of the type of makeup they use at 'Beauty and the Beast'. Secondly, I thought you influenced me to believe that vanity is impertinent to who people really are. I am already aware that there has been an increase of excessive bacteria on my face, and usually you're the one who tells me to do absolutely nothing about it. Thus, I write this passage in utmost indignation.

Now that my outrage is finished, I have been enjoying what is happening in my life so far: the art of performing on stage with wonderfully talented people, flourishing in home/schoolwork and reading such remarkable books. Speaking of books, I am currently reading the novel adaptation of 'Anne of Green Gables', which some of you are aware I am fascinated with by my social media platforms or my inevitability of chattering about it in real life. I am glad that a few of my castmates are also head over heels for Gilbert Blythe, who is my kindred spirit. Oh, if only the good characters - such as Anne, Gilbert, Diana and Marilla - were alive and attend my school! That would be a miracle. I mourn for the fact that my fantasy would never come to life.

This week I had concluded Marian's Everyday Life's blog activity. Marian's Everyday Life will always haunt me in my future since it has been part of my life for more than three years. I had been thinking about it a while ago, since handling two blogs has been tragic. It seems like I post the same content on that blog here on 'Letters to Electra' - I write about my life's tribulations and contentment. I really hope that this blog will be successful and will help me to express my teenage experiences in the form of words and (sometimes) visual assistance.

Since MEDL is finished, I will now conclude my letters and book reviews with:

Stay powerful and beautiful as usual,

- M ★ 

Letters to Electra - My Dubious Dreams

6/5/15

Dear Electra,

Now that I am experiencing stress, I've been sleeping with odd dreams. Last night, I dreamed that Marius' 11-year-old sister entered a university exam. Two nights ago, I dreamed that I visited a dermatologist to clear my acne. I don't know if it's common or not but, I don't have nighttime thoughts often, so I consider this occurrence a psychological anomaly. My hypothesis is, do people who experience stress have better probabilities of having strange dreams?

In academic aspects, I'm studying for my chemistry test that will happen next Monday. In music, I'm preparing a powerpoint presentation about Lea Salonga's career. I chose her for my topic because she's had such a successful pathway as a talented performer.

It's opening night TOMORROW for my school's musical of 'Beauty and the Beast'! Just to be clear, I am playing a female villager and a candelabra. I wish I could show you pictures of my costumes, but we are keeping it confidential until the end of the production. Throughout the show, I have five costume changes:
ACT I:
1) Change into female villager for 'Belle' and 'Gaston'
2) Change into candelabra costume for 'Be Our Guest'
ACT II:
3) Change into female villager for 'Maison Des Lunes'
4) Change into dark robe for 'The Mob Song'
5) Quickly change into candelabra costume for 'The Battle'
When I have a lot of time to spend in my dressing room, I play card games with my dressing roommates or whisper-along to the songs playing.

As I write this, I am sitting in my gloomy room listening to music. Today I have decided to stay at home since I haven't had enough time to rest last night. I hope Sammi will manage to bring notes tomorrow for me to copy, and also that Gwen, Regina, Jayden, Mary and Charisma would've had an amusing day today.

With sincere affection,

- M ★

Letters to Electra - Under Pressure

29/4/15

Dear Electra,

I am not able to be persistent at times like this. I am exhausted, exasperated and have the strong desire to be extricated. There are so many things happening that are not blog-worthy. The only things that are happening at this period of time is academic-related and highly mundane.

But somehow, I will continue with this blog post. I'm near the end of reading Anne Frank's diary, and I feel that this process has rather been tiring. I wish I couldn't cause offence to any fan of hers. Hiding in a cramped laboratory is uneventful but tragic at the same time, clutching onto the fear of being exposed as a Jew. I am glad that Adolf Hitler and his followers have perished.

The school musical is going to be held in less than two weeks! I am proud of the cast and crew's efforts to establish a wonderful production. To those of you who have already bought tickets, I hope your money is worth the performance.

With sincere affection,

- M ★

Letters to Electra - A Positively Captivated Marian

22/4/15

Dear Electra,

We are back from the holiday hiatus! My break was occupied with rehearsals for my school's upcoming musical and completing my house chores. I'm glad that I'm back to school to study and socialise again. The two-week break inhibited my brain matter with a void of emptiness.

By any means, my name is Marian Yao and I have a fixation for Tumblr. This fixation is as strong as an adult loves coffee. I cannot relax without having to check it at least six times a day. It unwinds me after a stressful day at school or an odd conversation with an associate. My main theme on Tumblr is 'Bones', but I also enjoy posting about Marina Diamandis and 'Anne of Green Gables'.

Speaking of 'Anne of Green Gables', I just began watching the movie series yesterday and I am captivated! The way I relate to Anne is unexpected: we both enjoy books, are fascinated with the world and do well at school.  I really wish that I had access to the books, that would be awesome. I also heard that the actor who plays Gilbert lost his life recently. R.I.P, Jonothan Crombie.


With sincere affection,

- M ★

Marian's 2015 Reads - 'Bones Are Forever'

via kathyreichs.com

Title: 'Bones Are Forever'
Author: Kathy Reichs
Publisher: Scribner
Published: 2012
Pages: 283 (excluding the bonus section of 'Forensic Files')
Genre: Crime

Forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan discovers infant remains in a decrepit apartment in Saint-Hyacinthe. The tenant of the apartment was a woman named Alma Rogers, according to the landlord. Shortly after discovering the owner, a man named Ralph Trees visits the crime scene to look for Alva Rodriguez. Who are these people? Or do these names belong to one woman?

Tempe, along with detectives Andrew Ryan and Oliver Hasty, head to the Northwest Territories, which are well-known for their diamond mines and also the place where Alma/Alva is located. This homicide investigation expands to a range of family issues and exhumations of other corpses.

I have to admit that Brennan and Ryan weren't well-written in this recent adaptation of Dr. Reichs' brilliant series. They argued a lot over the fact that Brennan's old flame, Oliver, joined them in solving this case. Ryan was being extremely overprotective of Brennan when Oliver tried to make moves on her, which I thought was very adorable. What I also found to be gruesome was that infants were murdered. When I face situations like these, fictional or real, I would ignore it and move on to another topic, but in this case I just had to face it head-on.

Let's compare this Dr. Brennan to the one they have on 'Bones'. I am aware that the TV Brennan is based on Dr. Reichs, but if this figure were to be in this novel, she wouldn't have a deep connection to the very young victims. The novel Brennan, however, experienced horrifying dreams about the babies and wanted to vent out to her friends and family. If I were to be either, I'd be the latter. It would be very difficult for me to solve this investigation without having the urge to take comfort in my peers or even writing my feelings in a diary.

I recommend this novel to people who are emotionally stable and/or are conspiracy theorists. I don't recommend this novel to people who have never read this series. I suggest that you start with Déjà Dead or a couple of books after that.


- M ★

Marian's 2015 Reads - 'Fatal Voyage'

via pinterest.com

Title: 'Fatal Voyage'
Author: Kathy Reichs
Publisher: Scribner
Published: 2001
Pages: Over 360 (I estimate)

I think you are getting sick of me reviewing Kathy Reichs books since you probably don't have a strong interest in forensic anthropology as I do. I promise that I will review a book by another author on the 27th of April.

'Fatal Voyage' pursues Tempe Brennan as she examines the corpses of plane crash victims in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. While in the forest, she finds a foot which she later identifies it to belong to a man who was not part of the plane crash. The murderer of the mystery foot victim influences a marathon of homicides involving Tempe's colleagues and an explosion of controversy about Dr. Brennan's professional path.

The conspiracy and history behind the man's foot were attention-worthy. The only way I can describe the murderer without spoiling the book is that s/he does not have such a strong position, but has caused chaos that even celebrities cannot handle. Most killers in any sense are friends, business partners or family members of their victims, but it still astonishes me that the woman who scans your groceries could be the culprit. And because of this, I applaud Dr. Reichs for her creative power of pulling the reader into the story.

I recommend this story to people who have read Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta series. Let's see who is the finer author, shall we?

Bonus Willow Pape reaction:

Since my friends have never read crime novels and tend to grab each other's books to scan, they found it odd that Dr. Reichs began the story with a cataclysmic beginning.
'I stared at the woman flying through the trees. Head forward, chin raised, arms flung backward like the tiny crone goddess on the hood of a Rolls-Royce. But the tree lady was naked, and her body ended at the waist.'
"What the heck are they talking about? Ew!" Jayden gasps as he closes the book.
It's great to have friends who have distinct tastes.

- M ★