DPL Teens

Now for vignettes of a few more performers from the 4th Annual Battle of the Bands.  Today we’ll be featuring three bands:  Shockwave, Render and Sleeping on Sidewalks.  First up is Shockwave… 

Shockwave was the first band to arrive on Battle day and they had a whole crew of cool supporters on hand to help them out.  These guys were so ready to rock and did such a great job!  They played some killer covers by the Raconteurs, Ted Nugent, and 38 Special.  Considering how young most of the band members are, it makes me wonder what sort of musicians they’ll be in the future…even more AWESOME I’m sure!  We certainly hope they come out to next year’s Battle.  Check ‘em out on MySpace.  Next up is the band Render…

Tuesday evening from 3-5 at Fairmount we’ll be making gocks and pocks.  Gocks and bwhaaa?  Gocks and pocks…gothic and punk rock sock monsters.  Duh.  It’s gonna be crazy zany cool, not to mention air conditioned.  Stop by, see what’s happening, and chill for a bit.

This little “gocks and pocks” program is part of the Teen Summer Reading Craft Program series called Express This.  Every Tuesday through August we’ll be offering up some free fun for you and your friends.  We provide the initial ideas and supplies, then we pretty much can’t wait to see what you come up with.  One more thing…if you like, you can bring in your own socks to use.  Just make sure they don’t stink.

-Christie

To help kick things off, Bella Rocks! will be performing at the Fairmount St. Library on Saturday at 4pm!  And it’s FREE!!  

Say what?!? 

Oh yeah – listen up Twilight fans:

Wizard rock band, Bella Rocks has been booked to help us celebrate the kickoff of the 2009 Summer Reading Program.  Her vampy songs are inspired by the one-and-only Twilight Saga (Stephenie Meyer), and are comparable to the sounds of Paramore and Avril Lavigne.  Mark your calendars now for the party – Saturday, June 13th.  The party starts at 1 p.m. and Bella Rocks hits the stage at 4:00.

Want to know more?  Visit www.myspace.com/bellarocksmusic.  You can also download her album, “Diary of a Forks Girl,” from iTunes and Amazon.

This title jumped right out at me when I was browsing for a new book to read out at the Fairmount Street Library.  When I pulled it off the shelf, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the cheerful High-School-Musical-esque cover art — clean-cut teens smiling the biggest smiles possible under the the very large words “CASTRATION CELEBRATION.”  When I realized that the book is by the same guy who wrote the hilarious (and surprisingly heartfelt) story Spanking Shakespeare, I was hooked. 

The story is fairly straightforward — Olivia has sworn off men since she walked in on her dad cheating on her mom with one of his students.  She’s attending a prestigious drama camp at Yale for the summer, and determines to write a musical condemning the idiot males in her life.  Her end product is “Castration Celebration,” a musical that chronicles Dick and Jane’s attempt to have a happy relationship, despite Dick falling prey to the classic male pitfalls — other girls. 

If you’ve ever wondering what High School Musical might be like if all the songs were about sex, then you will certainly want to check out the book Castration Celebration. Here’s a sampling of the songs that Olivia writes for the musical:

From Unlucky in Love:

“I fell for Mel / His smell cast a spell / But oh it was hell / Let me tell you / When I found him in bed / With a fellow named Fred / Said he wanted to try something new”

From I’m in Love with Dick:

“Before I got to know him, I wondered if we’d click / Now I know for sure that I’m in love with Dick”

From I Saw My Parents Having Sex:

“You may say it’s scientific / Let me tell you, it’s horrific / I know it’s how I came to be / But it’s not something I should see / There is nothing quite so gruesome / As my parents in a twosome”

And here’s a video by the author of the song I just quoted “I Saw My Parents Having Sex”:

Funny stuff from a supremely funny author.  But this book is more than just a sex-filled castration party — it’s filled with fully realized characters who are surprising, witty, and thoroughly engaging.  If you like your books hilarious and a little edgy, then you will not want to miss this one.

- Sam

Still thinking about boating but want to do something different?  hmm.  well, how about trying your hand at sailing?  and,  yes — Sailing really is a sport!!.

So, what do you need to sail?  mmm, water.  wind.  a boat.  what – no boat?  well, that is a problem!!  Do you don’t think you want to invest in an expensive sail boat until you decide if you really like it?  Don’t blame you.  Here’s what I’d do first — watch a few sailing movies.

I like White Squall with Jeff Bridges.  It’s based on a true story about a sailing prep school that has some …   well..   interesting things happen at sea.

Another sort of fun sailing movie is Captain Ron with Kurt Russell.  This is not based on a true story.  But it is pretty funny and takes place aboard a sailboat!!

Read a couple of books.    Maybe these:

Now — you’ve watched it, you’ve read about it …   how about you try it? Call up Lake Davenport Sailing Club to find out about lessons.   They supply the boats, the instructors, and you just need to show up and learn.   Well, after handing over a little green.

Then you can start thinking  about buying a boat……

—  angie

I Get Knocked Down… – For more funny movies, click here

This vid has nothing to do with anything. But it made us laugh. And cringe. Love the bulls. Oh yeah, tomorrow night: Teen Volunteer Council & Gaming 5:30 @ Fairmount. It will be the last meetin’ of the season for TVC. And we may or may not be, but most definitely will be, making edible sculptures. But you probably won’t want to eat them…but you probably will anyway…funs.

-Christie

If you’re like me as the days are getting longer and warmer your thoughts are turning toward water sports.   What better way to spend a hot Sunday afternoon than on the water – or in the water if that’s the way it turns out!  There are so many options — power boating, skiing, jet skiing, canoeing, kayaking, windsurfing – and the combinations are endless!!   One of my new favorites is kayaking.   Relatively cheap and easy, you can get on the water with just a boat, a paddle and a pfd.  They don’t weigh much so you can carry it easily, you can buy little foam blocks to carry it on the top of most cars.  So, truly, there is no excuse not to get out on the water.

Want more information?  Start with a couple of good books:

Talk to a few people.  Grab a friend (never paddle alone!!).   And start on a quiet lake.

–angie

Remember when you were a little kid and there was nothing better than jumping on your bike and racing through the neighborhood.  The wind at your back, racing full speed into whatever the future will bring? No siblings, no parents, no teachers – just you and the breeze.  Oh, yeah.   Complete freedom.  So why’d you stop?   Now that spring is finally here why not pick it back up?  No insurance,  no worry about gas prices, just get where you’re going and have a blast going there.

So, you’ve decided to go for a ride.  Now you just need a bike.  So they’re all about the same, right?  Hmm.  Well — I guess if you are one of those people that figure a Saturn Aura is the same as a Toyota Pruis is the same as a Ford Ranger is the same as a Jaguar XK since technically they all have 4 wheels and go  — then I suppose all bikes are the same.  But if you recognize that different vehicles have different uses, then you know that just any old bike might not fit your needs.  All bikes have a few elements that are basically the same — the frame, the wheels, drivetrain, seat, handlebars and brakes.   It’s the specialization of each of these that make the difference in the the bikes use — and cost!!

OK — let’s get a basic look at the differences in the basic elements.   The frame is the first obvious component of the bike.  And the most expensive to replace.  So what to look for?  Well – usually weight is a big factor – the lighter the better – for speed, respnsiveness and just moving it around.  Mountain bikes may have a slightly smaller triangle and higher bottom bracket to provide extra clearance than a road bike. It may also have a suspension system to provide a smoother ride over the rough terrain.  Wheels on a street bike will be thin and smooth for flat surfaces, mountain bikes and beach cruisers will have fat (and fatter) tires with deep treads.  The drivetrain includes the pedals, gears and everything attached.  So — how many gears do you need?  How many terrains are you going to ride on?  You can get anything from a single gear on a cruiser to a 27 gear mountain bike.  Generally speaking -  more gears = more options – and  more to think about!  The seat is a very personal choice.  About any bike you buy will have a good enough seat.  But there are alot of choices on the market if you are looking for comfort.  Again, think about where you are riding and for how long.  The shape of your bike will be a factor as well.  Are you sitting upright on a cruiser or leaning forward on a racing bike.  Handlebars are self explanatory enough.  Rounded and under (drop bars) for speed, straight and flat for control, upright for comfort.  The most important factor in brakes is that they work.  When you’re looking at a bike check out the brake shoes.  They should be about 1/16 to 1/8 inch from the rim.  Make sure they don’t rub on the tires.  Then squeeze the brakes as hard as you can and let them go.  Check it again. If they aren’t the same distance from the tire as they were to start with have the bike person readjust the clearances.

So — ready to hit the road?   Check out these books to get a little more info before you go:

Bicycling by Peter Oliver

Sloane’s Complete Book of Bicycling by Eugene A. Sloane

Now — go ride!

—angie

Join us Tuesday night for our newest teen program, Ultimate Card Gaming!  The fun begins at 5:30 in the computer lab at Fairmount.  Be sure to bring in your Magic and Yu-Gi-Oh schtuff, as well as a few friends, and be prepared to throw down ’cause it’s about to be on like Donkey Kong.  See you then.

-Christie

Taylor Markham has had a hard life.  Mom’s gone, Dad’s gone, and now her caretaker’s gone.  Taylor soldiers on, heading up her house in the territory wars that pit her boarding school against the local military school and the townies.  But so much more is afoot on Jellicoe Road.  Read this book if you like stories that are equal parts coming-of-age, mystery, tear-jerker, and romance.  It’s no wonder it won the Printz Award this year, it’s superb.

– sam