Your life is: Degrassi-esque

Okay, so obviously JJ is much better at prioritizing than I am, because she at least tries to blog everyday. 

My priorities:

(1) Homework

(2) Family/Friends

(3) Swim practice/meets

(4) Blogging

(5) Next week's homework

You see I have a busy-ish life, which is apparently nothing like Degrassi.  Well, according to TeenNick, "most of us just have a mellow-ish stream of Degrassi moments... the bad break-up, the zit on prom night, the embarrassing secret revealed to the world".  I've never been in a relationship, so the break-up is not something I can relate to.  I have yet to go to prom, but I always get zits/pimples/acne at the worst possible moment (AKA the eve of an important event).  The embarassing secret revealed to the world... nope, my 'therapist' would never do such a thing (much love!).

I want to meet someone who actually has a "Degrassi" life.  I have :)

Trying to prioritize,

!~Mango~!

Posting About Mia Since Everyone Else Has....

I was checking out other blogs when I saw that everyone seemed to have posted something about Mia recently.  So, in an effort to conform to the man, I decided it was our turn.

Mia Jones.  Teenage mother, model, and Peter's girlfriend are some of the first things that come to mind.  But for me, the first thing I think is voice of reason.  You see, everyone's been kinda ragging on Mia because she's not a very committed mother and she's too focused on fun and blah blah blah (see here for Kary's Degrassi Blog's anti-Mia Post and DegrassiList's anti-Mia Post).  But I don't think Mia's character was really supposed to provide a teenaged mom character.  I think that was the initial intent but as time progressed it became apparent that there were only so many possibilities.  So they threw together a little episode about Mia becoming a model and making her share of mistakes, then shoved her with Peter, and made her some sort of superior character, the character who offers advice and basically directs people in the right direction.  Although everything was somewhat forced, it still accomplished its goal.  Mia was a short-lived character but her life was good in comparison to others (for instance, Chantay who is still on the show and still hasn't done anything).  She had her episodes about her daughter (that one with the child-support woman was intense) and then her episodes as a helpful, mature character who offered advice (for instance, when Holly J wanted to lose her virginity).  She can seem annoying and know-it-all-ish sometimes but Mia Jones was a solid character and I don't think she harmed Degrassi (although she was present for one of the least enjoyable seasons...).

By the way, since I mentioned Chantay above, I have a question for anyone who knows.  How old is Chantay?  If anyone remembers the episode back with Chester, Chuck, and Chad, Chantay was Emma's friend who slept over with her, Manny, and someone else... Darcy maybe?  I don't remember, but moral of the story: she was Emma's friend.  Well, Emma has graduated and gone off to university, so why the fish is Chantay still at Degrassi?  Are they just buying time?  Do they have some plan?  Or did the writers just forget she even existed?  I'm thinking it's the latter.

Degrassi: So Real it's Ridiculous

Okay, so I was taking some quizzes on TeenNick and came across this thing, which I think is just about THE greatest thing ever.  And 100 percent true.  Look at Mango, Basil, and I.  Mango's a Coach fan whose clothing costs more than my face and always matches.  Today I learned why you can't wear flats with flare jeans and why you can't where sweaters on gym days.  Basil, on the other hand, is into black skinny jeans, alternative rock, and dance... every kind of dance.  And I am the cheerleader who doesn't understand a thing about fashion, refers to her clothing as "shirts and pants", and is known for her bush-like hair.  But all three of us are in all honors classes (except for in band, gym, lunch, and Spanish because our school doesn't offer honors in those courses).  And all three of us are friends probably because we can talk really fast with big words and still understand each other perfectly.  Just another perfect representation of how realistic Degrassi is and how easy it is to relate to.  Of how it "gets real" and "goes there."

The other quiz I took, though, is another story.  Apparently, I'm most like Declan... haha, haha, haha, no.  Please. No.  Tell me my eyebrows aren't that big.  Oh, please.

Searching for Sinder3lla: The Complete Trilogy

For those of you who rely upon DegrassiPwns for everything Degrassi, I feel it is my responsibility to let you know that Searching for Sinder3lla, that mini about Declan searching for his "perfect girl," has now been completed.  And although part one set the stage well, part two was just... boring.  Fortunately, part 3 was somewhat interesting and redeemed the mini.  Although breaking it into parts was stupid (had part 2 not been its own thing, I wouldn't have judged the mini as harshly), Degrassi minis are not sucking yet.  Come on, Stefan Brogren, don't let me down!

If you want to watch all three parts, check out TeenNick's The Click for that and other Degrassi-related clips: teennick.com/theclick/

If you're looking for an interesting article about pandas, go here: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/GiantPandas/default.cfm

And if you're just looking for a picture of an angry llama, you can always go here: http://www.cs.mcgill.ca/~mdincu/cdmp/llama.jpg

Otherwise, use wikipedia or something, this is a Degrassi blog.  Jeez.

Heyy all, it's Mango.  I'll whip up a review on Parts 2 & 3 and possibly a conclusion to the entire thing... later.  Check out the Twitter!  And that angry llama, gotta love it.  Speaking of llamas... This one's for you, Degrassi ;]

Degrassi Vs. Glee: 5 Things The Greatest TV Shows Have In Common

1) There's a pregnant girl who is associated with gorgeous people.
Mia's a model.  Quinn's a cheerleader.  What happened to the effects of pregnancy on your body?  And why do the gorgeous people always get pregnant?  I want the nerdy, pimply, ugly girl to get pregnant.  I'd watch that show.  Well, no, I wouldn't, I'm too busy watching Glee and Degrassi, but I'd recommend it.


2) The gay guy pwns your soul.
Although Marco was less arrogant than Kurt, they're still both awesome, loveable characters.  I'm prone to think of Marco as the superior character because he's humbler, awesomer, hotter, and just better.  But Kurt has his moments.


3) There's a whole lot of drama when it comes to the gay boy coming out to his father.
Remember the Marco coming out drama?  Wow, that was intense.  Hold the phone, Hamlet, Marco's telling his Dad he's gay.  And that other gay guy... Tim or Todd or something with a T... it was Tim, I think.  Just a great episode.  Well Glee's set a similar standard with that moving interaction between Kurt and his dad.  Although Glee is centered around comedy and Degrassi around drama, the little places where the two overlap are what make both shows so exceptional.


4) Everyone's somehow ridiculously talented and musically inclined.
That's funny, because my school operates on a musical hierarchy. The athletes (mainly trackies and cheerleaders) in concert choir and drama club are the most popular followed by the drama club/chorus/concert choir/band members and then the jocks and then the nerds and then the slackers.  Granted Glee doesn't operate like that but my school's concert choir would actually be at the same level of the Glee club in the show if Lea Michele were to accidentally fall off a cliff and die.
Anywayz, my point was from Downtown Sasquatch, PMS, Stüdz, Jenna (no band?) and Hell Hath No Fury to... the Glee club (a considerably shorter list but oh well), everyone's a freaking musical genius.  Cassie Steele, Jake Epstein, and Lea Michele, you make me jealous.  Wanna trade vocal chords?


5) The cheerleaders are all really cool, popular, and attractive.
As a fellow cheerleader, I'm able to say that's not true.  No, I'm one of the biggest nerds (but I'm also a musician and performer so I even out on the social hierarchy) in my school.  And I'm a cheerleader.  The coaches actually don't care what you look like.  They want a girl who can do a back-walkover and shout corny cheers, and lift the flyers.  That's it.  So cheerleaders don't get that upper-leg, much to my dismay (although we totally should... Paige Michalchuk and Quinn FeBray did).

P... O... L... L!!!

Our greatest apologies for not blogging last night =.=

But on a brighter note, this poll has had the most votes ever!!  34 votes!

Peter: 5
Chantay: 11
Blue: 7
Jane: 2
Sav: 3
Holly J.: 6

Voting for the next poll will begin right after this post is published and will most likely close next Sunday evening.  Toodles!

Every Degrassi EVARRRRRR! Marathon (no it's not advertised as that)

THIS IS THE BEST IDEA CHAIRMAN NICK HAS YET TO HAVE!

Well, you know, besides the wheel :)

Episode - "Tears Are Not Enough, Pt. 2"

Terri: I was so mad.
Craig: Because she died.
Terri: No, because I couldn't play pin-the-tail on the donkey.

Gotta l-o-v-e it!

I just noticed that they changed the theme song between "Tears Are Not Enough" and "Father Figure".

I have just about THE worst memory ever, so I sit in front of my grandfather's flat screen and write down note on a little pad.  Oops, another episode just started.  Gotta jet (I'll be back later and maybe tomorrow since JJ is not available for the time being).

But before I go I want to try to follow up JJ's last post.  I simply cannot equal it, because it made me feel so much better even though I still am failing at life (epically NOT pwn).  But JJ is one of the rays to my sun of life, along with Basil and Bugs and everyone else that makes me smile.  There's just something about JJ that struck me from the moment I met her.  I've always admired her, and if I were to make a list of the most ideal role models ever, she'd most definitely be on it.  Her, Lady GaGa, and my mom.  Three awesome women (well, JJ isn't exactly near the drinking age, so maybe she's not a woman, but screw that).

I love you (sorry, I stole your sign-off).

!~Mango Out~!

P.S. 26 votes on the poll!  This has to be the highest vote count we've had!  3 for Peter (no, he actually has a bit of purpose in the upcoming episodes), 8 for Chantay (then who would write the Anti-Grapevine?  Dave??), 6 for Blue (see man, change your name to Red!), 2 for Jane (JJ will be devastated), 2 for Sav (WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE ARE YOU??), and 5 for Holly J. (aww, poor thing).  Keep it coming! :)

Because I Love Her

Hey all, it's JJ.  You guys don't need to read this post if you're looking for Degrassi info.


For the second day in a row, the post will not be related to Degrassi.  This time I'm not even going to try.  I'm writing today because Mango, the greatest person ever, is sad and is doubting herself and reminding her that I love her is more important to me than informing you about Degrassi (that, and nothing exciting has happened recently except for more little season 10 confirmation details).


Sooo... Mango,
Here's the thing.  You are one of the most beautiful girls I know (this includes inner-beauty, I'm not making a shallow statement).  I don't care who's smarter than you or who swims faster than you.  Because behind all those little meaningless sentences is the fact that you're still amazing.  Guess what.  Not everyone wins everything all the time.  No one does.  The only people who do are the people who quit while they're at the top (and heck, even Carly Patterson, who retired after winning the 2004 Olympic gold in the All-Around in gymnastics, was still only second on the beam).
But you win more than most.  You're incredible.  If I were you, I think I'd be so happy I'd forget to breathe and accidentally die.  I can't handle the awesomeness of Mango.  It's a rare gift you've got.  Just look at this blog.  Sure, I get information, but you personify it.  You're a bright light in my life.  Without you, life would be a black and white picture.  It gets the point across, but it's dull, boring, and bland.  (Not to be confused with black and white cookies, the greatest thing ever.)
I know, everyone falls flat on their face sometimes (I'd know).  We mess up, we fail, we say things we weren't supposed to or do things that don't make sense.  But if we get discouraged by a bump along the road we might as well sit at home twiddling our thumbs and drowning in re-runs of Degrassi (actually, that part I don't mind).  That doesn't seem right to me.  You of all people can't get set back by that.  Someone as incredible as you can't just sit back while everyone goes on taking risks and living.
You see, after failing many times at many things (like taking these global notes I should be doing right now) I decided that failures weren't failures.  They were lessons I needed to learn.  My Dad once told me that a B is good for the soul (speaking in terms of final grades, not quizzes and such.  For quizzes I've decided an F is good for the soul so to excuse myself :P).  I think he meant we all need to face the reality that sometimes we're not going to achieve all our goals. Sometimes we'll fall short.  But if we keep pushing on we'll wind up ahead in the long-run.


And I know you'll wind up ahead.  Up in first place.  Just promise me you'll look back at me from time to time and remember back when you started off with a blog.  Back when it was just me and you.  Just me who got to glow in the light you shed.


Now before you go off and think I'm such a good friend for doing this (or just get pissed off that I wasted another day... sorry!), I need to mention this.  I'm not doing this because I'm part Jesus.  I think I'm really doing this because my life without Mango is empty.  And I imagined a world where Mango lost her color, lost her flavor, lost the exciting glow that makes her so amazing, and almost died.  I need you.  I don't know how else to put it.  If you can't see yourself, that's your loss.  You're stuck looking down at me (literally down, I hate that about being short) while I get to marvel at the glory of you.  Thinking about it, it doesn't sound fair.  But if things became just and I was stuck with the cold image of myself reflecting in a mirror, life would be awful.


Mango, you're amazing.  I've run out of words, but that's basically the point.


I love you,


-JJ

The True Meaning of "pwn"

The Internet provides many innovations to everyday society.  There are translators (which are horrible, please don't ever use them), sites for sheet music downloads, online shopping, and so much more.  Little do people know (not really, but I love that saying) that it also creates an alternate version of the English language.

Hi, I'm Mango, and today we will be taking a look at the word "pwn".

The word "pwn" (pronounced either "pawn" or "poh-own" when spoken) most likely derived from a little accident, considering the fact that on standard QWERTY keyboards the letter "o" is next to the letter "p".  The original term, "own", is used to say something along the lines of "I am dominate you be jealous n00b".  It is a term of what some would call supercilious or egotistical praise for one's abilities.  Synonyms of the word include: schooled, triumph, lesson learned, WHAT!, beyond awesomeness, world domination.  It can be used as either a verb or a noun, but more commonly is used solo as an interjection (PWN!).  The word "epic" is often placed in front of it for complete, utter, and total pwnage.  As a common user of this word, I must say, it's pretty fly.  Here are some example dialogues and sentences (***ALL OF THE BELOW SITUATIONS ARE COMPLETELY FICTIONAL.  WELL, MAYBE NOT NUMBER 2. OR NUMBER 4. BUT YOU GET THE PICTURE. OKAY, ENOUGH CAPS.***):

1. JJ: Yo Mango, what'd you get on that Bio test?
Mango: I got a 96. 
JJ: Ha ha ha! I got a 100! You just got pwned!

2. Michael Phelps is epic pwn at swimming.  His 100 Fly is more than 90% faster than mine.

3. Basil: Hey, wanna see my dance routine? (performs with amazing technique and stature)
Mango: Wow, you are so totally pwn at dancing!

4. Daffy Duck: [to Elmer about Bugs] What is this, a cooking class? Shoot him! Shoot him!
Elmer Fudd: But I haven't got a wicense to shoot a fwicasseeing wabbit.
Bugs Bunny: PWN!


What the heck does this have to do with Degrassi?  Wait, wait, I'll add relevance...


Degrassi = Pwn.
Now you understand our blog name.


This is JJ saying "-!~Mango Out~!-" on her behalf.

Drowning in The Seas(on 1)

Thanks to this fabulous marathon, I've been given the opportunity to watch season one of Degrassi and I've learnt a lot which I'll share with you now.


1) The first thing I learnt was that Ryan Cooley was THE cutest thing back then.

Look at that.  You can't resist that face.  It makes my life.  If my boyfriend looked like that I'd die happily right now.


2) Degrassi was 100 percent completely dependent on cuteness, not acting unless you're Lauren Collins, Cassie Steele, occasionally Daniel Clark, and maybe even Ryan Cooley from time to time.  Otherwise, the acting's horrific.  Miriam McDonald constantly sounds like she's reading off a cue card and Shane Kippel couldn't say a line with passion if you shoved the script in his face.  I died a bit at first, then remembered that by season 2 it would all be better.  Nothing like practice to help teach a lesson, particularly in acting.  And the amazing presence of Adamo Ruggiero started season 2.

Oh, Marco. -swoons :P-


3) Ash was annoying from the start.  From Jagged Little Pill to the middle of season 2 I felt bad for her.  I almost liked her.  Abandoned by her friends then friends with Ellie Nash, the coolest person EVER (aside from Marco Del Rossi... see above)... but then she got annoying again.
All season 1, though, she was sorta a self-obsessed, arrogant jerk.
I dunno what it is about her, but Ashley Kerwin makes me unexplainably annoyed, almost angry.


And finally, point 4.
4) Terri MacGreggor is actually a nice person.  Throughout my whole Degrassi-ite career, the name "Terri" always made me shudder.  I hated that character and thinking about it now, I have no idea why.  She seriously doesn't do anything wrong.  I mean, I guess she makes some little mistakes but still.  If she was my best friend, I'd be happy.  (Of course, I have Mango as my best friend so I'm luckier than anyone with Terri, but you get my point.) [Aww, JJ! Heart heart!]

Season 1 was probably one of the worst Degrassi seasons, competing with season 8.  (Season 2 pwns all because Marco came).  But without it, there really wouldn't be a Degrassi.  It set the stage for one of the greatest television shows ever, where it most definitely goes there.  Where it gets real.  Where the tacky slogans actually fit.


Overall, I think I'd miss the awful acting and the cute child actors if I didn't get a season of them.  Degrassi, you still make my life.  Miriam McDonald's mechanical acting can't take anything away from that.