Written by: Jill Sheets

Snow Globe

All Picture credits: Jill Sheets

We have noticed that in many stores they have already started to sell Christmas stuff. The stores are nicely trying to remind is that Christmas will be here before we know it. So, if you like to make your own gifts making snow globes is a great and easy idea.

What you are going to need for this craft:

Glass Jar with Lid

A glass jar with a lid.

Object(s)

Object(s) to put inside your jar.

Mineral Oil

2 bottles of mineral oil. (Depending on the size of your jar).

Glitter

Glitter

Glue

E-600 craft glue, hot glue gun or any glue that is water proof

Snow Globe

The first thing that you will want to do is pick out a jar with a lid. Make sure the jar and the lid are clean and dried. Then you have a choice: you can glue the objects that you want in the globe to the inside of the lid or to inside the bottom of the jar. We decided to glue ours to the bottom of jar; it worked better for this kind of jar. We used E-600 glue, but you can use any glue that is water proof. You do not want your objects floating around in the mineral oil.

Items glued in jar

After you glue your items to the inside of the jar, you will want to let it dry over night.

Add Glitter

The next day you can continue to make your snow globe by slowly dumping your glitter into the jar.

Add Mineral Oil

Then you slowly star pouring in the mineral oil. For our globe it took around 1 ½ bottles. Do not fill it all the way to the top as you do not want it to spill out. Also, if you had decided to glue your snow globe items to the lid you will want to consider that your objects will displace the mineral oil.

The last two steps are to glue the lid on the jar (make sure you tighten the lid as tight as you can) and then let the globe dry.

Remember to use your imagination. We talked about making the globes as Christmas gift, but you can make them for yourself make a 4th of July globe, a birthday globe, an Easter globe – any kind you can think of.

Written by: Jill Sheets

Terrible Tales

Picture source: http://terribletales.com

Have you ever wanted to know what Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Rapunzel and more characters that you grew up reading were like when they started with “once upon a time?” Well in the book “Terrible Tales: The Absolutely, Positively, 100 Percent TRUE Stories of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Those Three Greedy Pigs, Hairy Rapunzel, and the Utterly Horrible Brats, Hansel and Gretel as Told at the Beginning of Time” – “Terrible Tales” (for short)- you will find out the answer to that question and many more. And trust us… It is not what you think. The words mean, ugly, bratty and self-center come to mind.

“Terrible Tales,” takes the normal bedtime stories that most of us have read growing up, and turns the tales in twist of plot. For example, Cinderella is the mean one and her step-sisters and her step mother are the nice ones.

“Terrible Tales” is a great book. The humorous stories will keep you entertained until the end. Jennifer Gordan is a clever writer and this book was well thought out. Not only is it a great book, the endings of the stories are wonderful. The bullies that you thought were all innocent get what they deserve, and there is a bit of lesson in each story. For example, at the end of one story Jennifer Gordan writes, “If envy makes you a nasty thug, your only friend will be a slug.”

We can not wait until Jennifer Gordan publishes her next book. We are going to make sure that we are in line to read it.

For more information on these unique stories you can go to the below website.

http://terribletales.com/

Written by: Jill Sheets

Good Luck Charlie

Source credit: Disney Channel

For all of the fans of Disney’s “Good Luck Charlie” we have some great news. The new hit Disney show has signed for another season. On top of that, there are plans on making a TV movie for “Good Luck Charlie.” This is great for the cast and fans of the show.

What’s even more, you will be seeing more of the cast in other Disney projects. Bridgit Mendler is currently filming her new Disney movie, “Lemonade Mouth.” This musical is about five freshmen high school students who meet in detention, and they decide to make a band.

Bridgit Mendler plays Olivia. Naomi Scott who is mainly known for Megan on “Life Bites” plays Mo. Blake Michael plays Charlie. Hayley Kiyoko who is mainly known for Stevie on “Wizards of Waverly Place.” plays Stella. Adam Hicks is mainly known for Luther on “Zeke and Luther” plays Wen.

“Lemonade Mouth” is written by April Blair, and it is based off the novel by Mark Peter Hughes. This movie is being directed by Patricia Blair.

“Lemonade Mouth” is scheduled to premier on Disney in 2011.

Bridgit Mendler is not the only cast member to have a movie coming out in 2011. Bradley Steven Perry who plays Gabe on “Good Luck Charlie” is in “Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure” with Ashley Tisdale. In this movie, Sharpay heads to New York to begin a acting career on Broadway, but she is not the first one to land a job on Broadway.

Robert Horn wrote the screenplay, and Michael Lembeck directed the movie.

There are two great Disney Channel movies coming our way in 2011. We can not wait to see them. Don’t forget that “Good Luck Charlie” has been picked up for another season, and there is going to be a movie.

Written by: Jill Sheets

Harry Potter: The Exhibition

Picture credit: GES/Warner Bros

“Harry Potter: The Exhibition” will be making a stop at Seattle’s Pacific Science Center. You will be able to catch the exhibit that was inspired by the Harry Potter movie sets from October 23, 2010 to Jan 30, 2011.

Matthew Lewis, who plays the lovable Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter movies, kicked off this wonderful announcement on August 14. He had the honor of throwing out the first pitch at the Seattle Mariners game at Safeco Field.

As of this moment, sadly, the Pacific Science Center in Seattle will be the last spot that is planned for the United States. The exhibit has also visited Toronto, ON, Boston, and Chicago. “The Harry Potter: The Exhibition” tickets will be on sale to the public on Saturday, August 14 at 9 a.m. Ticket costs are $26 for adults, $24 for seniors (65 and over) and children from 6 to 15. Then for children 3 to 5 the ticket cost will be $17.

The doors will open at 10am on Saturday, October 23, so make sure that you have your ticket.

Matthew Lewis

Picture credit: GES/Warner Bros

You can get your tickets by buying them at the Pacific Science Center box office, online at http://pacificsciencecenter.org or you can call (206)443-2001.

For more information you can go to http://www.harrypotterexhibition.com. There you will find some pictures of the exhibit and a video of what you can expect.

Again, the exhibit will be open from October 23, 2010 to Jan 30, 2011, so mark you calendars if you are in that area or going to be in that area.

If you had gotten the chance to see the “Harry Potter: The Exhibition,” tell us about it. What was your favorite part? If you have not seen it, do you have plans to go see it?

Written by: Jill Sheets

MTV Music Awards

Source MTV

The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards are coming up quickly. The awards will take place at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles on September 12 at 9/8 CT. There has not been a lot of information releases about the awards program. But, it has been announced that Emma Stone, Nicki and Ne-Yo are to present at the awards ceremony. Also, Florence + the Machine is going to perform their nominated song “Dog Days Are Over.” Also, Kanye West, along with Drake are set to perform during the music awards.

Below are a few categories with who is nominated in them, along with the song.

Best Collaborations

B.o.B featuring Hayley Williams: “Airplanes.”

Beyoncé featuring Lady Gaga : “Video Phone” (Extended Remix)

Lady Gaga featuring Beyoncé: “Telephone”

3OH!3 featuring Kesha : “My First Kiss”

Jay-Z & Alicia Keys: “State of Mind”

Best Female Video

Lady Gaga: “Bad Romance”

Ke$ha : “ Tik Tok”

Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg: “California Gurls”

Beyoncé featuring Lady Gaga: “Video Phone” (Extended Remix)

Taylor Swift : “Fifteen”

Best Male Video

Eminem: “ Not Afraid”

Usher featuring Will.I.Am: “OMG”

B.o.B featuring Hayley Williams: “Airplanes”

Drake: “Find Your Love”

Jason Derulo: “In My Head”

Best Hip Hop Video

B.oB featuring Hayley Williams: “Airplanes”

Eminem: “Not Afraid”

Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne & Eminem: “Forever”

Jay-Z & Swizz Beats: “On To The Next One”

Kid Cudi featuring MGMT & Ratatat: “Pursuit Of Happiness”

Best New Artist

Ke$ha: “Tik Tok”

Jason Derulo: “In My Head”

Justin Bieber featuring Ludacris: “Baby”

Nicki Minaj featuring Sean Garrett: “Massive Attack”

Broken Bells: “The Ghost Inside”

Best Pop Video

Lady Gaga: “Bad Romance”

Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dog: “California Gurls”

Ke$ha: “Tik Tok”

Beyoncé featuring Lady Gaga: “Video Phone” (Extended Remix)

B.o.B featuring Bruno Mars: “Nothing on You”

Best Rock Video

30 Seconds To Mars: ‘’ Kings and Queens’’

MUSE: “Uprising”

Paramore: “Ignorance”

Florence + the Machine: “Dog Days Are Over”

MGMT: “Flash Delirium”

Best Dance Video

Lady Gaga: “Bad Romance”

Enrique Iglesias featuring Pitbull: “I Like It”

Cascada: “Evacuate The Dancefloor”

David Guetta featuring Akon : “Sexy Chick”

Usher featuring Will.I.Am: “OMG”

Video of the Year

Lady Gaga: “Bad Romance”

Florence + The Machine: “Dog Days Are Over”

Seconds To Mars: “Kings and Queens”

Lady Gaga featuring Beyoncé: “Telephone”

Eminem: “Not Afraid”

B.o.B featuring Hayley Williams: “Airplanes”

Breakthrough Video

Dan Black : “Symphonies”

Gorillaz featuring Bobby Womack & Mos Def: “Stylo”

Coldplay: “Strawberry Swing”

The Black Keys: “Tighten Up”

There are many more award categories, just check out:

http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2010

While you are there you can vote for your favorites.

The 27th MTV Music Video Awards will be on September 12 at 9/8 CT.

Toxic Relationships

http://www.sxc.hu/photo/867275

How Do You Know When It’s Time to Go?

By Shannon Hembree

Have you ever been in a toxic relationship? You know, the kind of relationship that makes you doubt everything about yourself – the kind where you give and give and give and are totally crushed when he doesn’t give back. It’s the kind of relationship where you think your guy is so great that even if it isn’t the perfect relationship, you’re lucky to have him.

Sometimes you know when you are in a relationship that it is bad for you. Other times, you look back and wonder why you didn’t recognize the signs sooner, because they were definitely there. Or maybe, you saw the signs, but chose to look the other way, because you wanted so badly for the relationship to work. So what are the signs, and at what point do you just know that it is time to go? Below are a few examples of how women came to the realization that their relationship was over.

“I knew when my boyfriend didn’t come into my house to pick me up for prom. He honked from his car. We didn’t get any before-prom pictures at my house. My mom took one of me alone before I left.”

“I thought things were going well. I, of course, was envisioning our future together, and he just stopped calling. OK, that didn’t signal to me that he was not interested. When he did call, and I asked what was going on, he said he had just been busy and didn’t want to call if he didn’t have time to get together. OK, I can possibly get that…then I asked what he had been so busy doing…well, it seems he had been busy speed dating.”

“I knew it was time to go when we had broken up for the fifth time.”

“He would be great and really into me, and then he would stop calling for a while. When he wouldn’t call, I would write in my diary about how I loved him and then I would write how I hated him and then I would wonder over and over why he wouldn’t call. It was pretty sick.”

“I knew it was time to go when I would have preferred death over staying in the relationship. I could not fathom any more time with that person knowing it was making me so miserable and making me so awful to everyone around me.”

“I knew it was time when I realized I was better off without him than with him.”

Being in a bad relationship can sometimes be like watching a movie where you know how it will end, but you really want – and almost half expect – it to end differently. Just like the movies, bad relationships don’t develop happy endings if you wish hard enough that they will. It may seem impossible while you are in a bad relationship, but you will find the right guy for you when the time is right. So don’t settle for a toxic relationship, because you think you can fix it or you can’t do any better. You can’t fix it, and you can do better. You deserve to be treated well, and there are great guys out there who will do that. That’s the way it should be.

Written by: Jill Sheets

Michael and Marisa

Picture credit Maring Photography /Charles and Jennifer Maring

Recently Relate had the honor of interviewing singers Michael and Marisa. Continue to read on about them and their music.

R: Tell us a little bit about yourself?

Marisa: I’m happy energetic, like to be on the go, love physical activity. I’m loud, outgoing, fun and funny.

Michael: My name is Michael. I’m 12 years old. I play guitar and am very creative. I love computers and pretty much anything that has a plug on it (or batteries). I love music. I can’t function without it.

R: How long have you been singing and writing songs?

Michael: I wrote my first song by myself when I was four and recorded it on my Fisher Price cassette player with microphone. I have been performing gigs playing guitar and singing since I was 7.

Marisa: I’ve been singing all my life and started writing songs when I was 8.

R: What is your song writing process? Do you start with the words?

Marisa: We start with an idea and then write words and last the music. I (Marisa) like to write meaningful lyrics that will make people think or inspire them. Michael comes up with creative ideas so easily and then we write the song together.

R: How would you describe your music for those who have not heard it yet?

Marisa: It’s Pop with a Rock edge or you can call it Pop/Rock. The lyrics usually have a message that other kids can relate to. We write songs hoping that we will get the listener to think or feel something or take some kind of action.

R: Michael, how long have you been playing? Do you play any other instruments?

Michael: Guitar since I was 6. I play keyboards.

R: Marisa how long have you been playing the drums? Do you play any other instruments?

Marisa: Drums since I was 8. I also play keyboards and other percussion instruments.

R: Tell us about your song “The Same.: How did you come up with the idea for the song?

Michael: It was after the Phoebe Prince incident (she committed suicide after being severely bullied) when bullying was a hot topic in the news. In our song “The Same”, the bystander sees her friends bullying a lone girl and decides to leave her popular group to go over and talk to the girl. Kids are the only ones who can really stop bullying. For kids to tell kids to stop bullying in a song is much more powerful and effective than for grown ups to say stop bullying. We think we can really have an impact on helping to solve the bullying problem with this song.

20% of all sales of “The Same” will go to Kids Against Bullying http://www.pacerkidsagainstbullying.org. Where can people get the song?

On itunes.com, facebook.com/michaelandmarisa and on www.michaelandmarisa.com

R: What advice would you give someone who is being bullied?

Marisa: To stand up for yourself. Don’t let yourself be pushed around. Look the bully in the eye and respond right back.

Michael: Learn how to take a stand. Have backbone.

R: Tell us about your debut album, “Kickin’ It Together?” How long did it take you to make the album from start to finish?

Michael: We started writing and recording the songs when we were 8 and 9 and finished when we were 10 and 11.  It took 18 months from start to finish. There are 12 songs on it. In the beginning we were writing songs to perform live and not specifically for an album. Then it turned into a CD project produced by Billy Garzone in Boston. The last five songs were co-written with Emmy nominated Amy Powers, and Jeannie Lurie (Disney/Hannah Montana) and produced by Amy Powers and Russ DeSalvo.

This CD has some strong messages in the songs about taking care of the environment, helping others, living your dream. Other songs have more everyday topics like being a guy, trying to focus on the moment, being opposites but having fun together, having the power to change the end of a daydream that doesn’t go that well etc.

R: What is your favorite song on that album and why?

Marisa: “I Bet I Could” because it’s supposed to inspire the listener to do their part to make the world a better place.

Michael: “A Guy Like Me” because it’s about every guy and how they are. It’s relatable and everyone can sing along with it and mean it.

R: Tell us about your up and coming EP, “It’s LIke That.”

Marisa: I really like the songs on it and have them on my ipod. I mean even if they weren’t our songs, I would like them. Peter Zizzo (Avril Lavigne, Pixie Lott, Celine Dion, Vanessa Carlton) cowrote the songs with us and produced the CD.

Michael: We’ve progressed a lot since the first CD. The sound is much older and we are playing the kind of music we like to listen to.

R: Where can people get your music?

Marisa: On MichaelandMarisa.com, facebook.com/michaelandmarisa and on itunes. The official release of our new EP is September 7th, but it is available as a fan package with a t shirt, and other stuff on our web site: michaelandmarisa.com.

R: You are currently touring. What is your favorite thing about touring and what has been your favorite place so far?

Marisa: Favorite place ever? Or this year? We’ve done 250 shows over the last five years and we have so many favorites. I remember playing the Whisky-A-Go-Go in Hollywood, CA when we were 8 and 9 and feeling like “Wow….this is so cool”. We just played some dates on the Camplified Tour which is fun because the tour arrives at a camp and the artists spend the day interacting with and then performing for the campers. We teach them guitar, decorate shirts with them, are interviewed by the campers, then do a Q. and A., the show and then a meet and greet. So we our role is to make an amazing day for the campers from morning to night. It’s fun to see how excited they get. We also just did the last leg of the Bamboozle Road Show tour which was amazing.

Michael: I love interacting with the audience and fans at meet and greets. I love the feeling of performing the music for the audiences. It’s fun to hang out with other bands. My favorite performing experience ever was when I was 8 and got to open for Drake Bell. I got to get to know him a bit over the weekend going with him to appearances and he even showed me some guitar. Getting to be a part of Drake’s show and then have my own meet and greet at the table next to his was surreal for me. I related to so many things about Drake and his music and couldn’t believe it was happening.

R: What is your favorite song to perform and why?

Marisa: I love to perform “The Same” and feel the emotion in it every time I sing it, but it is a heavy topic and a slower ballad. I also love performing “Can’t Miss a Beat” because I wrote it about how day to day life is from the perspective of me as a drummer….how I hear everything around me as a rhythm. I bet other people do that too, like dancers and other musicians. It’s a faster song and the audience dances to it and gets into the rhythms in it.

Michael: “It’s Like That” because it’s about the rush that you feel on a roller coaster. I love that feeling and wanted to describe it in a song. It’s fun to perform and I think about that no gravity feeling when I’m playing it.

R: If you could tour with anyone in the world, who would it be?

Marisa: Taylor Swift because her fans are so amazing and a lot of them like our music as well. I love how she creates her show and is a part of staging her songs. She’s so talented in so many ways. The way she writes songs so easily about her life experiences is inspiring to me.

Michael: I’ve been a fan of Paramore for 3 or 4 years and have been performing their music for that long as well. I love their sound.

R: What was it like giving an impromptu performance with singer, Lily Allen?

Michael: Insanely cool!! Marisa and I had just finished making a parody music video of Lily Allen’s song, “The Fear” and had been listening to her music 24/7. We LOVE her wordy and very clever lyrics and the variety of musical sounds and rhythms she uses and her humor. We made the parody video ourselves. I love directing movies and also edited the video, with Marisa as Lily, and me as the butlers. We also changed some of the words to make the parody even funnier. The week after we finished the video, we went to her concert and she invited us to perform “Smile” with her on the stage. We are the biggest fans of her music and it was an experience of a lifetime!! Someone in the audience videoed us singing and dancing with her and they put it on youtube. Otherwise we would have been sure it was a dream.

Marisa: Amazing! So cool! Awesome!! Surreal, a dream come true!!

R: What singers and bands can be found on your ipod or mp3 player? What is your favorite song by each one?

Marisa: All of The Beatles (I Wanna Hold Your Hand), ACDC (Problem Child) Led Zeppelin (Communication Breakdown) Lily Allen (Him), Travie McCoy/Bruno Mars (Billionaire), No Doubt (Don’t Speak), Jonas Brothers (A Little Bit Longer), Victorious Soundtrack (You’re the Reason), Taylor Swift (Our Song), Demi Lovato (Don’t Forget) and so many more….

Michael: All of The Beatles (She Loves You), Lady Gaga (Just Dance ), Avril Lavigne(Complicated) Shakira(Whenever, Wherever/Suerte), Train(Hey Soul Sister), Paramore(Misery Business), Drake Bell (Telegraph), Most Top 40 songs from the last 10 years so I can D.J. and take requests any time.

R: If you could make a guest appearance on any Disney Show, which one would it be?

Marisa: Wizards of Waverly Place, ABC Family, Make it or Break It, We’d love it if Disney would create a show about a brother/sister pop/rock duo and we could play ourselves.

On Nickelodeon, we’d love to be on Victorious or iCarly.

R: What has been your most star stuck moment? Who was it and tell us what happened?

Michael: I have so many of these….Avril Lavigne’s music was the first “older music” I listened to. When I was 4, someone working at the mall gave me a copy of her demo CD. She was one of my first musical role models and I got to meet her when I was 5. I was so excited. When I was 8 and doing my sound check at the Whisky-A-Go-Go nightclub in Hollywood, Drake Bell came in and I couldn’t believe he was standing there with me. I got to play “I Found a Way” for him and he was smiling and hitting his leg he liked it so much. I couldn’t believe I was playing his song for him and that he liked it. Then Lily Allen was another one…..Marisa will tell you about that one….

Marisa: Yeah, we had no idea that we’d end up on the stage performing with her!! It was crazy amazing and then she told us to come back and hang with her after her show. I also loved meeting Fergie and the Black Eyed Peas and when I was about 9, I got to meet Vanessa Hudgens backstage at one of her shows during the height of High School Musical. She was so sweet! I remember she told us to “stay in school”. Gwen Stefani was also amazing to meet. She’s about 6 feet tall with her heels and her face is like a porcelain doll.

Michael and Marisa

Picture credit Maring Photography /Charles and Jennifer Maring

R: What do you do in your spare time?

Marisa: I love to do gymnastics, tae kwon do, dance, go biking with neighbors, text with my friends, stay very active, drum of course, songwrite, sing

Michael: Anything to do with music like making movies and videos, remixing songs, my iphone, finding new aps, tae kwon do, amusement park rides

R: What are five things people may not know about you?

Michael: I love long showers, so relaxing all that water and being clean, I’ve always wanted a dog, I’m obsessed with Lady Gaga and all her props and creations, I love Times Square and L.A., I’m terrible at Guitar Hero, I like the long car rides when touring,

Marisa: I’m big time Type A and a perfectionist, I love little kids and babies, I read really fast, if I weren’t a musician, I’d want to be a gymnast. I like to climb.

R: What are five things or people you cannot live without?

Marisa: Ketchup, Pasta, bread, Purell and my family

Michael: My guitar, my computer, my iphone, baby wipes and my family

R: What are your future goals?

Marisa: We want to tour the world and get messages across to our audiences through our music. We want to lift their spirits and inspire and empower them and give them a good time at the shows.

R: What is the best advice you have ever gotten and by who?

Marisa: If you close your eyes and picture yourself doing it, you can do it. (Randall Sneed when teaching me to perfect my back tuck on the hard ground, just last week)

Michael: Never give up (various successful musicians have told me this)

R: What advice would you give someone who wanted to become a singer?

Michael: Never give up, live your dream (I guess what goes around comes around, or something like that)

Marisa: Sing to your favorite songs and the feeling will come out

R: Do you have any charities that are close to your heart? If so, tell us about them.

Marisa: Twice I have cut 12 inches off of my hair and donated the hair to Locks of Love. I wait until it gets really long. I’ve also crocheted hats for cancer patients and when I was little would donate all of my birthday gifts to Children’s Hospital.

Michael: Wow…..we have so many…we have played at dozens of fundraiser concerts for major charities like Jimmy Fund, Dana Farber, Pan Mass Challenge, Children’s Hospitals and so many others. We have also donated all proceeds from some of our concerts at the Hard Rock Cafe to Autism, Toys for Tots, Music Programs in Schools, and more.

R: Are you on any social networking sites? If so, which ones and what are their addresses? Do you have an official website? If so, what is the address?

Marisa: Website: michaelandmarisa.com

Facebook: facebook.com/michaelandmarisa

Twitter:

Michael: twitter.com/rockon1881

Marisa: twitter.com/xoxodrummer1313

R: Other than this one what is the strangest question you have ever been asked?

Marisa: What’s your middle name?

Michael: Will you go to the prom with me? By a 17 year old when I was 11.

Michael and Marisa, thank you for the interview. Have a great day.

Michael and Marisa: Thank you for interviewing us!

Written by: Jill Sheets

James Maslow

Picture credit: Mackel Vaughn

Recently we had the chance to interview singer/songwriter/ actor James Maslow. Continue to read on and learn about James, his music and about his show.

R: Tell us a little bit about yourself?

J: I was born in NYC, but grew up in La Jolla, CA. I love to surf and be active in my free time. Whenever I’m at the beach I feel at home.

R: At what age did you start to sing and act?

J: I began singing seriously when I joined the San Diego Children’s choir at age 6… Might have even been 5!

R: You also write music and play the piano and the guitar. How long have you been playing? What was your first song about?

J: I have been dabbling for about 5 years on both, but I’m still working to get better. I write mostly on piano these days. My first song was about my first serious girlfriend and how we broke up…it’s sad to me lyric-wise, but fun to play and sing.

R: What inspires you to write a song? What is your song writing process? Do you start with the words?

J: All kinds of things inspire me to write. Often it’s out of frustration or sadness when I write ballads and more positive emotions when I write up-tempos – I find those harder to create, though. I usually figure out the hook’s melody and then go from there, adding lyrics along the way.

R: Tell us about the show “Big Time Rush.” Where and when can people see it?

J: Big Time Rush is an upbeat and energetic show about four friends who move from Minnesota to California to become a band. You get to see myself and my three friends make fools of ourselves and perform original songs. Check it out on Nickelodeon Fridays at 8:30pm, usually.

R: Tell us about your character James Diamond. Do you and your character have anything in common? In what ways are you different?

J: My character James Diamond is fun to play since he is always so full of energy and optimistic. I try to be humble in real life, so it’s fun to break out of that shell with Diamond, as he is quite the seeker of attention. I’d like to think that, like James, I have a pretty good sense of style, but unlike him I don’t care nearly as much about my hair! In fact, I almost never wear any hair products in real life.

R: Tell us about the rest of the cast. How well do you all get along? How would you describe each cast member?

J: The cast is great. Honestly, if the other three boys and I weren’t friends, it would be near impossible to make this show as we spend 6-7 days a week together. Kendall is very laid back, Logan in hilarious and Carlos is goofy. It’s a good combination.

R: Your character is one member of a band called “Big Time Rush.” Are there plans on making an album?

J: We are indeed going to release an album very soon. We have already recorded one and have even started on the second one already!

R: Have you come up with a name for the album and release date?

J: Neither are official but I will tell you when they are!

R: Are there any plans on touring?

J: We have already begun to play live and will be doing so more often this season, in between filming. Hopefully after we finish season two we will do a full tour! Keep asking for it, and it will happen!

R: How would you describe the bands music?

J: The band is very rock/pop, although we have four very different voices singing, we definitely put a unique twist on all of our sings. I think it’s cool that we can bring something original to the table in that regard.

R: Tell us about the single “Halfway There.” Where can people buy the single?

J: Halfway There is my favorite song that we currently have released. Go on iTunes and buy it if you haven’t already!

R: Tell us about the audition process like for “Big Time Rush.” How did you find out about getting the role?

J: The audition process took two full years. During that time I had four screen tests and even shot a pilot with a different cast! When I finally got the role I was at breakfast in San Diego with my best friend and I stood up screaming YES! FINALLY! I was so stoked.

R: How do you prepare for a role?

J: I do as much research as I can and try and live in that character’s life for as long as I can before I film. Diamond has been a cool experience for me as I had a lot to do with creating him and really bringing him to life. I find that as I grow as a person, Diamond grows as a character.

R: You were also on an episode of “iCarly.” What was that like? How was it working with the cast of the show?

J: I was on the 2nd season premiere of iCarly, playing Shane, which was one of the best experiences of my life. The cast was hilarious and everyone there treated me like family. It felt so cool to be able to wake up and go to set every day for a job! I am so grateful that I was given the opportunity to work on that show, and still remain friends with most of the cast.

R: What is the best advice you have ever gotten and by who?

J: My manager once told me that success comes when preparation meets opportunity. That means that opportunities are often rare, so when one does come around you best be prepared for it. It reminds me that no matter how good you may be, you can always become better with practice and should strive to reach your biggest potential.

R: What advice would you give someone who wanted to become an actor and singer?

J: Just keep singing and or acting. If you practice and it feels like practice, maybe this isn’t for you. But if you love it every day and do it every day, you’ll become better and before you know it an opportunity will come your way. If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.

James Maslow

Picture credit: Mackel Vaughn

R: If you could be in a movie with anyone in the world, who would it be?

J: There are so many actors that I admire and would love to work with, but off the top of my head I’m going to say Leonardo Dicaprio. To this day, he still studies and devotes himself to every role. It was be an honor to work with someone of his stature.

R: We read that you have a crush on Harry Potter’s Emma Watson. Have you been able to meet her yet?

J: (laughs) No, I haven’t met her yet but I would love to.

R: Are you single? What do you like for in a girlfriend?

J: Yes, right now I’m single. It’s hard to find the time to date these days! I look for a girl who is comfortable with everything from going to the beach to walking a red carpet. My life seems to incorporate both quite a bit so it takes a pretty down-to-earth girl to keep up I think.

R: What would your perfect date be?

J: Honestly, just dinner and something private like sailing with just us or renting a movie.

R: What do you do in your spare time?

J: I like to climb, go to the beach, play football with buddies and watch movies. Oh, and I’m a big fan of food so dinners are always fair game.

R: Tell us about climbing Mt. Whitney.

J: I went in June of ‘09 and there was so much snow that we had to blaze our own trail from 12,600 ft and up. It was the hardest physical thing I had ever done, but felt so amazing when I finally reached the top. It encouraged me to challenge myself even further, so my next goal is to climb Summit Rainier. Even though it’s not quite as tall, it’s a more difficult climb due to ice and other weather conditions.

R: Who has been your biggest influence?

J: My dad has always been so encouraging and such a good role model, I’m going to say him. I owe so much to him. One of my biggest dreams is to give him his retirement. Hopefully soon!

R: What are your future goals?

J: I plan on devoting myself to the show and music of BTR for as long as it goes, and then after I hope to do film and pursue my own music career.

R: What are five things people may not know about you?

J: I enjoy cooking but I hate cleaning up. I avoid doing my laundry at all costs. I have a problem accepting anything I didn’t work for. I can’t stand traffic and my road rage often comes out in sarcastic remarks like “Hey! Thank you so much for being such an awesome driver, big guy!” And I used to sail every summer, and hope to buy a catamaran some day!

R: Do you have any charities that are close to your heart? If so, tell us about them.

J: I’ve participated in several but am still looking for a special one to donate more of my time to.

R: What bands and singers can be found on your iPod or mp3 player? What is your favorite song by each one?

J: On my iPod, everyone from Donny Hathaway and Brian McKnight to John Mayer, and Jack Johnson. I have too many favorites to choose!

R: Are you on any social networking sites? If so, which ones and what are their addresses? Do you have an official website? If so, what is the address?

J: I’m on Facebook and MySpace under my full name, but Twitter @JamesMaslow is the best way to communicate with me since I can do it right from my phone.

R: What is it like to be able to communicate with your fans? What is the nicest thing a fan has said or done for you?

J: Communicating with fans is actually very cool since all of my fans rock! Seriously, if I ever need a pick-me-up I just look at some of the tweets I get and I feel better. Everyone is so supportive and sweet, it’s amazing! To the fans that have given me bracelets, know that I wear one every time I record or perform – I think its good luck!

R: Other than this one, what is the strangest question you have ever been asked?

J: A fan wanted to know what type of ice cream I would be… I said vanilla which seems boring but when you think about it, it’s actually quite delicious and versatile.

R: Is there anything else you would like to add or say to your fans?

J: Honestly, I just want to thank all of my fans for allowing me to do what I love. It’s because of their support that I get to sing and act for a living and I’ll never forget that! Thanks!

R: James, thank you for the interview. Have a great day.

Camp Glow

(Armenia Camp GLOW 2010)

Camp GLOW is Helping Girls Shine

By Shannon Hembree

How do you instill confidence in young women? How do you challenge them to imagine a life that goes against what is expected of them in their community?

The Peace Corps has volunteers in over 60 posts around the world who are trying to answer those questions by organizing Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World). Each Camp GLOW program is tailored to meet the needs of girls in their own communities. Some of the topics covered include healthy relationships, human rights, gender equality, nutrition, body image, and leadership.

Mari Chiba is a returned Peace Corps volunteer who helped to organize and lead Camp GLOW programs in Armenia. When describing Armenia, Chiba said, “A lot of people are still busy just trying to survive. They are worried about having enough food for their family and paying their bills.”

Girls in Armenia also face an uphill battle when it comes to equality. According to Chiba, “In Armenian culture, it is expected that women will marry young and have children and become housewives. Most young girls in my community went to college as a way to spend time before getting married, and they would get dressed up in heels and make up, and after classes men would stand around the college to look at the women.”

The Camp GLOW that Chiba organized was a partnership with a local youth center. It began as a five-day camp with dozens of campers and grew into an eight-day camp with over 50 participants. A typical day involved exercise, small-group sessions, large-group sessions, and other activities, such as a talent show, scavenger hunt, and jamboree organized by the girls.

“The reason that I love GLOW,” said Chiba, “is because you really see a change in the girls that participate. On gender day the girls reflected on the gender stereotypes in Armenia, and a lot of them had never considered the fact that physically it is possible for men and boys to do things like laundry and wash dishes.”

Chiba’s experience helped to build not only the self-esteem of girls in Armenia, but also her own. One project she organized was a feel-good project all around. For this project, Chiba taught a group of young women English for free in exchange for them going with her to visit kids at a boarding school for children of poor families and children with disabilities.

Chiba said of the boarding school project, “It raised my self-esteem for having a successful program, the self-esteem of the girls who volunteered for doing something positive for someone else, and it raised the self-esteem of the kids at the boarding school because they were getting some more individual attention. I think there are many of these sorts of needs in the United States. In your neighborhood, who do you see that you think could be better, or who needs help? What can you do to help? I think that volunteering is a good way to build self-esteem and is very rewarding.”

Not all of Chiba’s experiences in Armenia were self-esteem builders. According to Chiba, she heard the following often: “You shouldn’t read so much. Boys don’t like girls who read, and you’ll never get married.”

“At first,” said Chiba, “I took it really personally. After a while though, I just stopped listening, because honestly it was really exhausting to get upset every time someone said something like that to me.”

It’s no surprise that her advice to girls in the U.S. focuses on knowing who you are. “Believe in yourself. Only you know what is best for you.”

“Believe in yourself” is a great rule to live by, and it is one that is repeated over and over to the girls who attend Camp GLOW. It is something that everyone should embrace, because, as the girls who attended Camp GLOW learned, when you believe in yourself, it makes the impossible seem possible.

Written by: Jill Sheets

There looks like there has been a little bit of confusion about Justin Bieber’s new “memoir.” Well at least a memoir was we know it, so he had to go to his twitter account to straighten out everyone confusion.

Justin tweeted, “Someone asked me about the book we are putting out in October… just want to clear something up… it isn’t a memoir… I teamed up with this amazing photographer Robert and he has been taking pictures behind the scenes from before the tour. So the book will include all those pics and I’m going to tell the story of all that led up from rehearsals until the first night of the tour. Pretty excited about it and think everyone will enjoy the story and the pics… but we can all agree I’m a little too young to write a memoir. But we can make a pretty great book with lots of exclusive stuff… but I just got a lot more life to live too.”

This book maybe just something that we have to see to completely understand what it is going to look like.

In more Justin Bieber news, I am sure that you have heard about his 3-D movie that will be coming out. Paramount Pictures has hired John Chu to direct Justin’s up and coming movie. John Chu is not a newbie to directing movies. His movie “Step Up 3-D” is currently in the theatres, and he also directed “Step Up 2: The Streets.” Justin’s movie is set to be releases Valentines Day Weekend in 2011, and it is suppose to be about Justin’s rise to fame.

According to mtv.com, John Chu said in a statement, “When I was approached about doing Justin’s film, I jumped at the opportunity to tell a story with honesty and heart. Most people don’t know that his is a true underdog story, and I hope to tell it in a compelling, genuine way, using all source materials available to convey his tale of becoming an icon for this digital age.”

Sounds like that this is going to be a great movie.

It is great that entertainers have not forgotten about the floods that happened in May. According to www.eonline.com, on Wednesday, August 11 Justin had a concert at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. This concert was sold out, and he gave $1.06 for each ticket sold to “Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee” for flood relief in that area. Total Justin raised $32,690 for this non-profit charity.

Justin Bieber may be considered young, but he has accomplished a lot in his 16 years, and we can not wait to see what else comes from this talented entertainer.