Friday, August 23, 2013

Fangreying!

Grey DeLisle. Do you recognize this woman?
No? I can guarantee one thing. If you had a childhood like the average child born in 1995-2013, you know her voice. I will write a few lines, and I bet you'll know who it is.

"You want to be Fire Lord? Fine, let's settle this. Just you and me, brother. AGNI KAI!"
"I'm Sam Manson, and my Happy Princess talent is goth haiku."

So here we see Azula from "Avatar" and Sam from "Danny Phantom." But, she has a lot of other roles.

  • Emily Elizabeth, Clifford the Big Red Dog (PBS)
  • Femme Fatale, Powerpuff Girls (Boomerang)
  • Mandy, The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy (Cartoon Network... maybe)
  • Current voice of Daphne Blake and we all should know who she is
  • Current voice of Esmeralda, Kingdom Hearts (originally voiced by Demi Moore in Hunchback of Notre Dame)
  • Greenley, Tarzan and Jane
  • Aquatta and Arista, The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning
  • Vicky, The Fairly Odd Parents (Nickelodeon)
  • Lor, The Weekenders (Disney Channel, late '90s and early 2000s)
  • So many other roles... if you can think of it, she's probably done it... she's even done Timon and Pumbaa and you guys know how I feel about The Lion King.
So, why am I fangirling about this? Because if I talk about it in public, no one will care and I need to talk about this!

I think Grey is an inspiration to many young actors and vocalists out there, me included. I think everyone should experience fangreying and here are the reasons why.

This girl doesn't ignore her fans. Just because she's the queen/Fire Lord doesn't make her stuck up at all. I wrote her a letter from my dog's point of view on Tumblr, and not only did she (greydelisle) "like" it, but she followed me. Yes. The queen of voiceover actually has my blog on her dash. And she's liked other posts. And the funny thing is, I'm not Tumblr famous, I'm just a hardcore fan of cartoons. She loves her fans. She follows a lot of us. She also follows back on Instagram (I don't have it), so go follow her!

She's a stellar singer! I think her and Kiersten Holine need to collaborate sometime. I am singing "Wrapped in My Sweet Savior's Arms" for Fine Arts next year and I am totally in love with "Joanna," "The Bloody Bucket," "Home Wrecker," and "Showgirl." (and did I mention she listens to the Dave Matthews Band?)

Grey and my man Dante Basco are still involved in "Avatar" and sometimes they even read their characters' lines in the graphic novels. Dante wrote on his Tumblr (rufiozuko) something like "Next time I hang out with Grey maybe we can do some Zuko/Azula scenes" and I'm over here crying because he talks about it so casually! Like, they could just meet at Starbucks or something and I live on the other side of the country! Ugh. My point, though. They're so dedicated to their roles!

She is hilarious. Some Facebook and Twitter posts may say "I walked my dog" or "Someone text me plz," but Grey takes it up a notch.

  • "Careful, buddy!" -Me, at the park... pretending to be a good mom
  • My Disney Princess name is "Taco Belle."
  • I'm naming my Ford Explorer "Dora."
  • First I had to worry about Zuzu stealing my throne... and now it's that filthy royal brat! (This was posted when the royal baby was born)
  • "T.HANKS" -Thank You card from Tom Hanks
  • I thought Pitbull's first name was featuring.
  • Not getting invited to a party sucks almost as getting invited to a party.
  • Remember the weird kid that your mom forced you to invite to parties? Thank her for me!
  • The line of clothes Beyonce did for H & M will probably beyonsale soon.
  • It's pretty dangerous to be on the road with me when I'm trying to get to McDonald's before they stop serving breakfast.
Need I quote more? I love this girl! Follow her! She's like that person that you totally adore and they just get cooler and cooler the more you learn about them. At least that's true for me.

I never say that I'm someone's biggest fan, and you know, Grey DeLisle has A LOT of fans. "We are all connected to each other in a circle, in a hoop that never ends" because we all love Grey, we all love animation, and most of us want to become voice actors. Whether we know her because she is Azula, because she is Daphne, because she is Lor, or because she is Sam, we all can relate to each other. Most of my Tumblr followers know me because we both love Grey and her work. We're a big family (fun fact: "Everybody" directly translates to "big family" in Mandarin), how would I know if I'm her biggest fan? I'm not saying I'm her biggest fan or anything...

But I'm at least in the top ten. Look through her tag on Tumblr and peoples' reactions to her following them?
"I can't breathe!"
"Whoa!"
"Erm... can I get you something?"

My reaction was knocking down a table and nearly having to purchase a new keyboard. I celebrated her birthday week (I wore A LOT of grey this week, did the Azula and Sam Manson hairstyles, and will send her a photo of a cake I'm decorating for her). I can directly quote her Wikipedia page. Type in the letter "E" on my URL box and it will take you straight to her Wiki. Type "G" and you go straight to her blog. Sometimes, I watch cartoons so much that my voice begins to morph into a character's voice (the last time it happened it was a character voiced by Colleen O'Shaughnessy, Jasmine "Jazz" Fenton from Danny Phantom). Name a show she's in and I can tell you what role she had. I can detect her voice from a mile away. If she were to post that she's landing in Ohio in... say, twenty minutes, I would drive to the airport. Keep in mind I can't drive yet. Not even with a parent.

I wish she would come to Ohio! I wanna meet her! Pfft, if she were in Kentucky I'd drive down! I'm serious, guys. This girl is amazing. I mean, watch this. For some reason, it won't let me embed.

Look at her face when she realizes she messed it up! Still fabulous, Grey. Still fabulous.

She also had an Agni Kai with the California Highway Patrol. It's a long story, really. I'll let her tell it.

See? Isn't it hard to not fall in love with Grey? I'm sorry if you are now addicted because if so, I strongly advise you not to look up Jim Cummings, Jennifer Hale or Tara Strong if this is overwhelming.

Happy birthday, Grey (and happy six-year anniversary of "Phantom Planet")! Here's to several years of more animation and laughter!

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Trust

I am waves on the water
Not still in any way.
If you think you can see through me
You haven't swam beneath the surface
Because I know
I am not who you think I am.
I know
Because there is a whole lot of everything
That you know nothing about
And I have never told you.
I can't trust
Not when I've been judged
I can't trust
Too much has gone sour
I can't trust
Don't let me get hurt again
I won't trust
I will never trust.

-Hope A. Ezell (an excerpt from my journal)

(Just so you know, I am in a much better place than I was when I wrote this poem. I don't even remember what I was upset about.)

Sunday, August 11, 2013

How to Flirt With: An Avatard

I decided since I've been blogging about animation lately (I promise, that animated role models post IS coming... I'm just lazy), I decided I would have a flirt post! It's half-serious, I guess.

This post is on ways to flirt with those in the Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra fandoms.

  1. Approach gorgeous guy. DO NOT say hello. Before introducing yourself, BE SURE to say, "Flamio, Hotman!"
  2. Once a conversation with him/her has begun to die down and he/she begins to walk away or talk to someone else, say, "That's a sharp outfit, (insert name). Careful! You could puncture the hull of an empire class fire nation battleship, leaving thousands to drown at sea (put emphasis on "thousands"). Because," point to their shoulder or location of sharpness of outfit, "It's so sharp!" Azula used this pick-up line and is still single. Strange.
  3. It is very important for a potential partner to see you in action, doing something you love.  After winning a game of volleyball or some other sport, set the net on fire and shout, "YES! We have defeated you for all time! You will never rise from the ashes of your shame and humiliation!" Seriously, how is Azula single?
  4. Now, as of breaking up with an Avatard, make sure they're throwing an illegal party. Show up (after you've already been there as a guest... there might be some good food there) unexpectedly in the middle of the night and bring some friends with you. Then say, "We've got some bad news for you. Party's over." And that's when you and your buddies destroy his house. His parents will kill him. BEST break-up EVER.
  5. When showing him/her your fancy ride, be it a bison or a car, just before starting it up, say in a really seductive voice, "Yip... yip."
  6. If he has a tree house, and you happen to see him in it, say, "Nothing's braver than a guy in a treehouse." If he's big enough of an Avatard, he'll know you're referring to Jet.
  7. Right after he/she asks you to be his/her girl/boyfriend, say, "Together, you and I will be the strongest couple in the entire world! WE WILL DOMINATE THE EARTH!" It's beginning to seem clear to me why Azula is single. And here's a note: This works best if you can firebend.
  8. Instead of saying "I love you" or "I think I have a crush on you" or something like that, say, "I don't hate you." If they respond "I don't hate you, too," then give them the engagement ring.
  9. Once you become a couple, call them "Twinkle Toes."
  10. Get your Zuko-impersonating-Azula on and say, "Listen. You can date me or I can do something unspeakably horrible to you and your friends. Your choice." Make sure to pop out your hip, whether you're a guy or girl.
  11. At homecoming or prom, cry, "[insert name here], get over here! I want you to dance with me!"
  12. When he proposes or when you two get married, say, "I guess this means we'll always be together! Always."
  13. If you're feeling bold, go on and kiss the girl. Then proclaim, "Baby, you're my forever girl!" She will marry you.
  14. Whatever and however you do, say the word "Honor". I cannot stress this enough. Avatards love honor. Anything from the musical number in Mulan "Honor to Us All" to cheap puns ("I am so honored to be with you"). 
  15. A way to ask an Avatard out is to say, "I'm thinking maybe we could do an activity together?" Now, for Sokka, that activity ended up being him trying to keep his girl from giving her life to the moon spirit. So, make sure this activity doesn't involve death or guilt.
  16. Sing "Secret Tunnel" for them. It will make them smile. In case you don't know the lyrics: Two lovers forbidden from one another / A war divides their people and a mountain divides them apart / Their dark path to be together / Yeah I forget the next couple lines but then it goes, SECRET TUNNEL / SECRET TUNNEL / THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS / A secret, secret, secret, secret, tunnel! Or, you can sing the line "If you're lost, you can't lose the love because it's in your heart." It made Katara blush and she ain't even white.
  17. If you approach your crush alone, say, "Look at us. You and me. Two alone people." Funny, Bolin is single, too.
  18. Ride a dragon into battle and then jump into a volcano. Maybe I shouldn't take advice from Jinora. You'll literally need ice for that burn.
  19. You could always escape to a dangerous forest after trying to find your ex boo thang (or, according to "The Search," full-on thang). You'll probably become a spirit but Jinora would find it romantic.
  20. Give her flowers. Make sure you don't walk in on her kissing your brother. Hashtag, awkward.
  21. Eskimo kisses are always cute. Or, should I say, ESKAmo kisses?
  22. Your reasoning for dating her? "She's strong; I'm strong. She's fun; I'm fun. She's beautiful; I'm gorgeous!"
  23. After a mutual break-up, or a relationship that ends on good terms, smile at them and say, "Stay flamin'". You might be crying but it will lighten the mood.
And THAT, ladies and gentlemen, is how to flirt, date, and break up with an Avatard. Also, we like fire flakes. Lots of fire flakes.