Off Key?

Lang Lang is the world's greatest pianist. On stage, he performs so elegantly, so beautifully, so passionately, that your heart catches in your throat. In reality, he's full of childlike humor and youth. He’ll perform in Carnegie Hall, and tap out “Flight of the Bumblebee” ..on an iPad. He’ll play Chopin’s “Black Keys” -no, not with his fingers- but by rolling an orange on the piano. His quirks and charm keep his playing interesting.. but at what cost?

When I first saw this video of Lang Lang, I was truly shown his immense passion for music. My jaw dropped as I watched him excitedly point out melodies I couldn’t hear, phrases I couldn’t see, harmonies I couldn’t even begin to understand. At one point, he flew out of the piano bench in a frenzy, acting out a scene he envisioned in the music.

However, the horrible comments on the video were terribly cruel. People mocked him ruthlessly. Comments such as “crazy” and “mad” kept popping up. "Looks like someone had too many dumplings." "Lang Lang, enough with the drugs." Jealously turned these people to mock everything: his hair, his ethnicity, his features. I was astounded that these people thought his performance was anything less than perfection.

Lang Lang’s craziness is absolutely thrilling. His genius for music is inspiring and beautiful. Does he see the packed audience or the glaring spotlights when he goes onstage? No, he sees only the piano, and the new melodies waiting to be shared. It’s unthinkable that these “haters” don’t admire his raw talent. I hope they get smashed in the face with that orange

Tempest in a Teapot

     From the second I caught wind of the 'Tea Party' rebellion, I knew a bad idea. For one, who names a political party the 'Tea Party"? These days, nothing short of "Coffee Party" is going to cut it. But last week, O'Donnell won the Republican senate primary for Delaware. More shockingly, O'Donnell is a woman. What's she doing out of the kitchen? The Tea Party is veering politics in all sorts of new directions.

    Ladies, we're all worried about the economy (or lack of it) right now. Is O'Donnell the best idea for a Senate seat? Yes, she has plenty of experience with finances. A few years ago, she didn’t pay her federal taxes, leading to the foreclosure of her house. Too bad Palin, her most enthusiastic supporter, says, "We should not reward poor financial decisions."

     Based on the article, the Republicans were forced to choose between succumbing to the Democrats and supporting the Tea Party during the bailout. Voting alongside Democrats would be unthinkable, so Tea Party it was. Little did they know, this decision would come back to bite them in the form of Christine O'Donnell.

    I think the Democrats will keep the Delaware seat come November. However, O’Donnell admits that she has dabbled in witchcraft... Maybe she’ll get into her Gringotts vault and bribe her way in.

     All in all, O'Donnell is a fantastic candidate for the Senate. You'd be hard pressed to find another nominee who has the same excellent taste in nail polish. And she’s dumb and pretty; no wonder she and Palin are so close.

'I, Too, Sing America'

Guess what I just realized? I can't blog on my party blog, salttheleech, for English. Unfortunately.

So, here's my paragraph.

     In the poem "I, Too, Sing America" by Langston Hughes, the tones of bitterness and determination symbolize the man's outrage at racial discrimination and his strength to overcome that barrier. The stanza "I am the darker brother" shows his portrayal of America as a family. In darker tones, he expresses the shameful attempt that America makes at trying to black out (no pun intended) the author's race. The mere title of this poem, "I, Too, Sing America", shows his fierce belief that all men, despite their coloring, are free, equal Americans.

There ya go. Comment.