1. The Descendants
2. J. Edgar
3. The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo
4. Young Adult
5. and maybe New Years Eve, if I can find the time

NETWORK NETWORK NETWORK

• My overall goal for this academic year is to graduate with a job, so over break I plan to get in touch with as many of my past internship employers to seek out career opportunities, and make connections with other various people in the entertainment industry. In other words, hire me!

WRITE

• This semester has been so incredibly hectic. I haven’t had even a few moments to sit down with a clear mind and just write. All of my works in progress still remain in progress. I hope to sit myself down at a Barnes and Noble somewhere and bang out a first draft of one of my pilots, or finish one of my spec scripts. Dare I start a feature? Blurg. I need to get inspired!

Have Fun

• Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had fun this semester, but I just need to lay back and have a good time while I’m home. I don’t want to think about school or any of the responsibilities that will come with it once I return in January.

Be funnier

• I’m taking an improv class at the end of break–I hope it makes me less awkward and more tolerable. My ultimate goal is to no longer hear crickets after delivering the punchline.

See Friends

• I have plenty of friends, I think, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be here forever if I just forget about them. Over break I hope to strengthen the friendships I’ve had since middle school and continue the ones I currently have from college. I don’t just want to be one of those “what happened to her” girls soon after I graduate. Friends are the foundation to happiness–amongst other things and feelings–and they make for great subjects to observe and go people watching with–I need to get my material from somewhere! But, I’m currently lucky to have a crazy family that gives me more than enough material, but hey, the more the merrier.

Please note: this post is heavily based on my opinion. I have watched news coverage and read a few articles and I am also currently a student at the University in question. If I offend anyone I apologize, but I am an opinionated person. Once again, this is my opinion and by no means definitive, factual information. Then again, neither is the majority of anything the media has been saying about this situation either…

Being a current student at SU changes things a little bit. Well, no, it doesn’t. And that’s my point. Just because someone is a student of the University in question doesn’t mean they should act any differently considering the startling news and atrocious allegations. Let me start off by saying that people aren’t just picked at random to be accused of molesting children, or anyone for that matter. I am not saying that Bernie Fine is guilty, but I am saying that perhaps something did happen that was related to child molestation. Or maybe he is guilty, just not to the degree that the alleged victims have set forth for us and through the media. Or, maybe he’s just guilty and a disgusting individual. This is what I thought at first, but now that the voice recording of a phone conversation between Laurie Fine (Bernie’s wife) and Bobby Davis ( the first victim to come forward/the main victim so it seems) have been released, it’s a whole different ball game.

First off, to think that Bobby Davis and Laurie Fine were in cahoots is appalling. What’s even more appalling is that Laurie Fine seemed to know that her husband had been molesting a child/teenager and didn’t say a word to authorities. I understand that sometimes loyalty means more than anything in a relationship, just like how Anthony Weiner’s wife went back to him, but COME ON. This is child molestation for (apparently) over ten years! That’s absurd! So maybe he wasn’t apparently engaging in intercourse with little boys like Sandusky was at Penn State but molestation and sexual abuse is still molestation and sexual abuse at any level. Regardless, if I ever found out my husband was sexually molesting a child/teenager/anyone of any gender I would go to the police immediately, for revenge if nothing else. Think about it–if the allegations are true, Bernie Fine cheated on his wife with, possibly more than one, teenage boy. Sickening.

This evening SU Chancellor Nancy Cantor made the decision to fire Bernie Fine as the assistant coach of the men’s basketball team. As far as I’m concerned, it was the right move to make. Even if the allegations turn out to be false the man must have done something awful to have any allegations against him of this magnitude. Period.

I’m just hoping Jim Boeheim has been telling the truth and truly didn’t know anything about all of this hoopla that (allegedly) went down. To be honest, I had never heard of Bernie Fine before this whole fiasco surfaced. Call me a bad (rotten?) Orange fan, but Jim Boeheim is the face of Syracuse Basketball, so why should I know anyone else? Well, due to some incredibly unfortunate and disheartening events, I now know who Bernie Fine is.

But my main reason for writing this post to to let everyone know that while an individual can ruin something for everyone, one individual is by no means a whole representation. Bernie Fine was a part of Syracuse University, he was by no means the whole enchilada. And by that I mean University. Saying that his actions have made SU a terrible place is like saying that just because **one MLB player molested a child means the entire league is full of child molesters.** It’s not fair to say and that’s just not true. The same goes for Penn State. Yes, there is a lot more evidence against Sandusky to prove that he is guilty of all charges against him, but that doesn’t mean Penn State breeds molesters. One man’s decision should not change how an entire institution is viewed. Of course, thanks to the media, it does, but hopefully only temporarily. 

ESPN jumped the gun on this story and of course the rest of the media followed. Once one source reports, the flood gates open. Somewhere in China, a little boy is scared of Bernie Fine. But it should not be that way. Until FACTS are present the media should not be allowed to release any harmful information that can be considered defamatory. Yes, the new voice recordings certainly seem like grounds to make assumptions on but the question still remains: if these tapes have been around since the early 2000s then why the hell weren’t they brought to authorities sooner? I understand the statutes of limitation had expired because of the timeline but certainly this would have been vital information to bring forward to the University when they conducted their own investigation a few years ago. It just makes no sense. That’s why, despite the voice recorded conversation, something just doesn’t seem right.

I still believe that a boy who is molested from the time he is a teenager until the time he is a young man has the power and mindset to say “this is wrong. This shouldn’t be happening. I need to make this stop.” The fact that Bobby Davis was allegedly molested into his early twenties and he STILL did not do something to stop it makes it seem like it could have been consensual. And then this becomes an entirely different case. Once you’re 18–even 16–you usually know when you do or don’t like something, or if an old man rubbing your genitals is wrong. So why didn’t Davis speak up? There’s got to be something the media is (shockingly) missing or withholding from us. All I can truly say at this point is that something still doesn’t seem right–the facts just don’t add up.

Regardless, this is a time for students, faculty, alumni, friends and family of SU to stand by the University and support the alleged victims 100%. No matter what, SU has given us so much good in our lives that we will look back and only remember what we learned in whatever classes we took, how many overtimes that Big East Tournament game went into and which dining hall had the best food–not that the assistant men’s  basketball coach allegedly molested children and got fired.

There is no “I” in Orange. 

**This is of course a hypothetical statement/situation. A random, false example.

I get thinking you’re now going to lose more games sucks.

But what you don’t get is that one of Joe Pa’s staff members molested and even raped minors. And when it comes to rape or sexual harassment or molestation cases, it’s time to get serious and things such as sports get pushed aside. When you strip down all of the chaos surrounding this situation—the firing of Joe Paterno, students rioting in the streets and flipping over news vehicles—you get a very simple case of witholding information that should have been shared with authorities. Something should have been done. Something should have been said, and Sandusky should have been stopped or fired a long time ago.

Joe Paterno will forever be remembered for all that he has done for Penn State University, but he was punished for what he didn’t do, and that’s act upon the startling news he heard about Sandusky and those poor, poor little boys.

On another note, PSU students are angry that their school’s reputation is now tarnished because of this scandal. Well, that’s simply not true. Joe Paterno, his coaching staff and most of all Sandusky are the ones who now have a tarnished reputation. It’s the students’ decision to actively riot in the streets, flip off news cameras, scream obscenities and make a mockery out of themselves that has now tarnished the reputation of Penn State University. The behavior of the student body was absolutely disgusting. This was definitely a situation to be upset and angry about but there are much better ways to express your feelings than to riot in the streets.

Check out Occupy Wall Street. Maybe PSU students should’ve invested in some tents.

Please note this is my opinion, something everyone is entitled to.

This past week Conan taped four shows (back where he belongs) in NYC to celebrate the first anniversary of his new show on TBS. My boss from Conan reached out to me and a few other past and present interns to help and work the show because they would need all hands on deck. Naturally, I accepted and drove home from school to work the last two NY shows on Wednesday, November 2nd and Thursday, November 3rd.

I was fortunate enough to be the costume intern for those two days, and was asked for specifically by the costume designer himself. Prior to arriving in the city, I had read online that Conan would be officiating a same-sex marriage on his show for one of his long-time staff members. It wasn’t until I arrived that I found out the costume designer, Scott, was the groom to be. I had the pleasure of working alongside Scott on the day of his wedding, and it was such an incredible experience. I also got to meet his wonderful fiance (and now husband) David. They are both such sweethearts. They truly deserve each other and a lifetime full of happiness. The wedding itself was very sweet and emotional. It was touching. Most of the staff had crowded into the aisles and doorways of the Beacon Theatre to witness the ceremony in person, and I was one of them seeing as I was working with Scott. It was truly something incredible.

Working with the Conan staff is always a blast. Not only is it a lot of fun, but it’s a great learning experience as well, and an excellent chance to build relationships and network. I got to meet some great people, and get back in touch with others. I also got to see one of my previous bosses, Andy Cohen, as he was the guest who walked Scott down the aisle to the chuppah.

I saw the Conan blimp, met Will Forte, exchanged glances with Jon Stewart and was in the theatre to witness the first same-sex marriage on television. It’s safe to say it was worth missing a few classes.

If you get drunk and pass out–your fault. You chose to drink. You can say all you want that someone else “made you do it” but unless they tied you up and forced it down your throat, it was ultimately YOUR decision to do so. If you have a medical condition or are taking a medication that does not mix well with alcohol or other drugs, it is YOUR responsibility to know that and NOT to mix it with your current condition. You obviously know you have the condition when you go around telling everyone about it so don’t you dare try and make it seem like this was something that just happens. Also, if you drink to the point of unconsciousness and your eyes are rolling back, don’t expect people to just stand there and watch until you fall over and crack your head open. Just because you suck doesn’t mean people around you suck as well. So clearly if a bystander believes medical professionals need to step in then they, the people who are stone-cold sober and completely capable of making a decision, have the right to call 911. You should THANK them for doing so. Even if you got into trouble because, once again, YOU made the decision to drink underage to the point where you fall into and lie down in the middle of the street. Regardless, it happened. Had you not gone to the hospital, what would have happened? No one knows for sure but what COULD have happened was death or an alcohol induced coma. And that would have been a whole hell of a lot worse than getting written up by the University. So quit playing victim and start realizing that you have a laundry list of people to thank instead of trying to get those who helped you out into trouble.

Then there’s the type of person who decides to stand around and do nothing. Oh, I’m sorry, by “do nothing” I mean “stand there and yell at a drunk person, slapping them across the face, because they drank so much with an absolute disregard for the fact that the person you are yelling at is currently incapable at responding and receiving your message.” Way to kick a girl while she’s down. Then you’re going to talk back to police officers? Girl, you’re stupid.

That’s the kind of stupid I’m talking about.

If you haven’t figured it out by now, something did happen that triggered this and it’s just ridiculous. Be responsible for yourself because it sucks when other people have to step up and be responsible for you.

It makes me think of how fortunate I am to have grown up in a family where I was given the chance to cut my steak at such a young age. Never take anything in life for granted!

I will say, however, that at 21 I still get my steak knife taken away from me quite often because I play with it too much. You know, I cut the paper table cloth and such…tap on the water glass…my mom doesn’t trust me.

Later we went into the dining hall where we found more crosses, as we sat at a table looking over the lake-side, outdoor chapel with a giant wooden cross surrounded by wooden benches. Then there were some more crosses. Eventually we all picked up and switched cabins to one closer to the location of the activities we would be participating in. No JESUS or Jesus curtains hanging in this cabin, just a big ol’ cross situated on top of the cabin itself. But this one was much closer to the outdoor chapel so don’t you worry, I had a nice view of the wooden cross whenever I needed to feel the power of Christ. Oh, and there was a big Bible on the shelf in each and every room. The best part, to me, was when I would go into the bathroom there was, posted on the mirror, a placard with a prayer to say while “using the gift of water.” I found this fascinating. Yes, I know water is a limited resource and we often take it for granted, but I’ve never thought to pray for it. Perhaps I will start.

If you’re reading this you may think I have a problem with Jesus and the truth is I do not. He was once a member of the same tribe I belong to–the Jews–so I definitely don’t hate on him. But as a Jew I simply felt odd being surrounded by crosses and the word Jesus everywhere possible. While the retreat had nothing to do with religion, I felt myself feeling awkward because of what surrounded me. I didn’t know what to make of it all so I pretty much just kept talking about it–constantly. That didn’t necessarily make me feel any better about the situation, but I guess it helped me to cope. I know I probably sound like an idiot, but how would you feel if you were put in a place for 24 hours with symbols and words representing a religion you do not practice or believe in?

When all was said and done I got a lot out of the 24 hours I spent on the retreat. I learned to not judge a person based solely on appearance and that everyone is equal. I also learned that despite what our ancestors may have struggled with, we, youth of the present, have been awarded with such incredible opportunities in life and should not take any of them for granted.

Now, for those of you who didn’t experience this little milkshake of a quake, it went a little something like this:

“Hey, I think the chair is shaking.”

“Yeah. That’s weird.”

“Maybe a train is passing.”

“Must have.”

And that was it. The way I would describe the brief shaking that lasted all of 15-3o seconds in NY was like the experience you get when you’re sitting in your car, stopped in a turning lane as all of the other cars plow past your vehicle and there’s that little WOOSH feeling. Either that or it’s the brief, subtle shaking your house has when you life a few blocks away from a train station. So, it wasn’t anything life-threatening–thank goodness–around these parts, but it caused some minor damage in certain areas. A friend of mine who lives in Virginia told me a few pictures fell off her wall and her glass of water spilled over on her nightstand. Nothing that a few nails and a paper towel can’t fix. I’m hoping no one had any damage greater than that, and at the moment no casualties have been reported.

Then there’s all of these snooty Californian earthquake connoisseurs with their noses in the air saying (in a french, wine country accent) “zis was no earfquake. Here in Cali-for-nnnia we have zee biggest earfquakes you will ever zee or feel. They shake le grapes and make our wine go bad.” And then the East Coast responds with, if you had snow you’d build underground shelters. We’re not used to quakes! We don’t have earthquake safety instructions glued to the hotel bathroom mirrors–we have emergency snow routes.

It was about 6PM and I was exiting my office building. The sky was a spittin’ so I popped open my newly purchased $14 umbrella and was on my way. Suddenly, I heard someone call my name, and ask if it was me. Intrigued, I said yes, and suddenly a young girl showed up in front of me. “Did you go to Camp Summit?” “Yes.” “Do you know so and so?” “Uh, kinda, why?” “Well, I was at her house the other day and we were watching your camp video year book from a few years back and she told me she can’t turn it off because she has to wait and see your division play basketball because you fall during it.” “Oh. Yes. Yes I fell.”

Then her mom stepped into the conversation and asked what I am doing now–like she knew me from my early childhood and wanted to know what I was up to with my life…um, ma’m I don’t even know your child let alone you. Regardless, being the friendly person that I am, I told them and she seemed…disinterested. Then, they just walked away. I don’t even think they said goodbye, and clearly they know who I am but I have no idea who the hell either of them are. A name from either of them would have been nice, but I suppose celebrities can’t get all of their fan’s names anyway. As they walked away I felt compelled to say “have fun and stay dry!” At least I know I did MY part to be polite.

So there you have it. I may have only been recognized for falling during an organized game of basketball during color war at my sleepaway camp 5 or so years ago, but hey, it happened. It may have been incredibly awkward and weird but I can never pass up an opportunity like that.

She should have asked for a picture. Maybe I would have pretended to fall for a nice, reenactment action shot.