Interview with Helen from "Star Wars Here & There" and "The Life of a Musician and Dancer"

Helen from the two amazing blogs "Star Wars Here & There"(http://starwarshereandthere.blogspot.com/) and "The Life of a Musician and Dancer (http://thelifeofamusiciananddancer.blogspot.com/) let me interview her a few days ago.
Thank you Helen for letting me interview you :D

Here it is :)

Which Star Wars films is your favorite overall?
I really don’t have a favorite, but the ones I find most exciting are Revenge of the Sith and The Empire Strikes Back. Anakin vs. Obiwan is really epic and it is all I can do not to scream from excitement the whole time! The scenes where they are killing the Jedi are really sad, but exciting at the same time, and the fight between Yoda and Darth Sidious is really cool and almost comical. Revenge of the Sith is definitely the best movie in the Prequel Trilogy. In The Empire Strikes Back, the Han and Leia romance is so classic and funny, and I admit that is one of my favorite parts of the Original Trilogy. There are also much better fighting scenes then in A New Hope, including the whole fight between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker.

What are your top ten favorite books?
Hmmm...that’s a hard one! I’ve read so many books in the past several years. :)
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Hobbit, Out of the Silent Planet, The Mysterious Benedict Society Trilogy, The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict, Ballet Shoes, and The Silmarillion. I know that isn’t ten when you count it, but technically speaking, it’s eleven since there are three in a trilogy...in case you didn’t know that xD

What different kinds of dance do you do and which are your favorite?
I just do ballet, which I’ve done for eleven years now, but I have a lot of experience in Jazz and Modern.

What kinds of instruments do you play?
I’ve been playing the violin for seven years, and I played the piano till I was eleven. I love violin and practice an hour to an hour and a half every day. My mother is very musical and makes it her duty to pass on her musicality to me and my three other siblings. Besides a violin lesson every week, I participate in an orchestra, which is fun but tedious at times. :)

Besides Star Wars, what other films do you like?
I love Lord of the Rings and can’t wait for the Hobbit to come out (AAAHHH!!) The Avengers is definitely in my top five along with Captain America. Indiana Jones is really cool though I’ve only watched Raiders of the Lost Ark, and some other favorites are The Chronicles of Narnia, Tangled, Brave, and The Princess Bride.

Who are your top ten favorite Star Wars characters?
Princess Leia, Han Solo, Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Sidious, Luke Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker, Padme, Yoda, and the two awesome droids C3PO and R2D2.

What is your favorite faction in Star Wars(Jedi, Sith, Bounty Hunters, etc)?
Jedi, totally! But Sith and Bounty Hunters come pretty close.

Have you read any Star Wars Books? If you have, which are your favorites?
I have, but that was so long ago I don’t remember. Embarrassing!

What is your favorite subject to learn about?
Science. I really like Physics, and also Chemistry. They are really fun!

What T.V. shows are your favorite?
Star Wars: The Clone Wars. I don’t really watch anything else since my family doesn’t really have time to watch T.V. since we are busy doing school or driving to ballet classes.

Which fictional character do you identify with the most?
Princess Leia

What sort of music do you like to listen to?
I like mostly all music, though I do love classic. I also love soundtracks! I have a huge library of soundtracks on iTunes and online...Lord of the Rings...Star Wars...Avengers...Captain America...Thor...Chronicles of Narnia...Indiana Jones...you get the picture.

Which Star Wars characters do you not like?
Jar-Jar Binks is pretty annoying though I don’t hate him. I’m not exactly sure why George Lucas added him besides to be entertaining for littler children. I find Ewoks somewhat annoying also, and even more so now that they blink and everything in the extended edition.

Who are your top ten Lord of the Rings characters?
Aragorn, Pippin, Sam, Frodo, Faramir, Gandalf, Eowyn, Legolas, Gimli, Merry

What was your favorite part of The Avengers?
(SPOILER ALERT) The part where S.H.I.E.L.D. is evacuating and we see Loki for the first time is pretty cool. Also, when Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man are fighting in the forested area is hilarious. I like all the fighting scenes, and the part where the Avengers assemble. Now that I’m thinking of it, I love it all. (END OF SPOILER ALERT)


Who are your top three favorite Avengers?
Captain America is my man. What happened to all the gentle, courteous men like him?! I want them back! I like him better in Captain America, but I love it when he is arguing with Tony Stark in the Avengers. He is definitely my favorite character from the Marvel movies. Hawkeye is my second favorite, and I’m not exactly sure why. He definitely doesn’t have as much screen time as the others and definitely not as many lines, but he is very quiet and epic...I like that. Natasha Romanoff and Thor tie for third place. I love Natasha Romanoff’s fighting scenes. Could I have just a little of that flexibility and strength...please? She also has red hair like me, so I can relate to her with that. XD Thor is just epic and a little too muscular, and he has some pretty good action scenes in both Thor and the Avengers.

What is your favorite part in Revenge of the Sith?
The fight between Anakin and Obi-Wan! That is totally the best part in the Star Wars Saga! I said this before, but I have a hard time not screaming while they are fighting. I was once watching it at a sleepover, and I had to stuff a blanket in my mouth to keep from screaming. Anybody else have this problem?

Here is a bio about my interviewee. You should really check her blogs out(if you already haven't, they are really cool! :D Thanks again, Helen, for letting me interviewing you :)


Hi there! My name is Helen, and I’m fourteen. I started blogging almost a year ago on my blog The Life of a Musician and Dancer (http://thelifeofamusiciananddancer.blogspot.com/) on which I talk about my personal life, music and dance, artwork, and my passion for Star War and Lord of the Rings. I also recently opened a new blog, Star Wars Here and There (http://starwarshereandthere.blogspot.com/) on which I talk about Star Wars, post pictures and videos, and let other people share their thoughts on Star Wars. I am a natural drama queen, love to make other people laugh, and love to socialize with my ballet buddies and friends. As you definitely noticed by now, I am a huge Star Wars geek and love to let people know about it. How about checking out my two blogs sometime?

Favorite Song Monday and two songs I sang awhile back

Today's song is "Rise Above This" by the band Seether. I really love the song and lyrics; I also love that I can relate to it :D Hope you enjoy :D



My mom posted two songs I sang awhile back on her YouTube channel today, so I thought I'd post them now :) I'd recommend turning the volume low while listening to them since I'm a loud singer.



Here's me singing "Good Morning Baltimore" from the musical "Hairspray".



Here's me singing "Danny Boy".

As a singer, I'm a soprano but I can sing lower than most sopranos, and I can also sing whistle tone. I am also a belter. :D

Beautiful Blogger Award

1. Thank the person who nominated you and give the link.
Thank you James from JandJ Productions for the award! :D

2. Tell us how the idea of making a blog popped into your head and why you continue it.
My mom had a blog and since it looked like a lot of fun, I thought I'd try it out. I also knew others that had blogs so I decided to create this one. For a long time, I didn't have many followers but after I started following other blogs and commenting, my list of followers and commenters grew. Doing the 30 Day Star Wars Challenge definitely helped me get a boost :)

3. Describe a usual day of your life.
I get up, eat breakfast, check Facebook, blogger, the Lakehouse, and any other site I happen to be on, if I have school I do that, then I have lunch and I either surf the web, write, read, or do whatever until I have an activity to go to, then after I get back I have dinner, I read or get on the computer, I go sit in bed and read for awhile before finally going to sleep around midnight.

4. The best collaboration with a blogger(s).
Interviews, character discussion, and quest posts :D

5. Worst collaboration with a blogger(s).
I have not had a bad collaboration.

6. Explain what having this blog means to you.
Through my blog I have met many of my online friends who I am very, very glad to have met and have the chance to talk to and discuss things. Most of my best friends are online, actually :D. I also love being able to put down what I think and receive comments from other bloggers, it is very fulfilling :D.

7. Nominate 5 followers for this award.
I'll try and nominate people who haven't been given the award
Tahl Jinn from Manchas de Tinta
Misty Kasumi from The Mistiness of the Future
Robyn from Simply Creative by Robyn
Helen from Star Wars Here & There
Arda from In Western Lands

From the Holo-diary of Aran Liander: Jedi Apprentice

981 ARR

I have some good news, some bad news, and some really bad news. My Master always said to stay positive that is what I will do, even if it is so very hard.
The good news is that I've been getting through my basic exercises faster and without as much exhaustion each night. I've even begun to practice Force jumps, pushes, and pulls. I've careful, of course, but each each time I go(which is about twice a week) I feel more and more like a Jedi again. If only that feeling would last when I go to school.
The first of the bad news is that I got into trouble at school today, which was something I swore I wouldn't let happen.
I had been standing in the mens' bathroom, washing my hands at the sink, when I heard voices coming through the door from out in the hallway. They sounded mean and felt something wrong emmanating from them. Closing my eyes, I used the Force to weave through the sound of running water and air traffic outside to get a sense of what these people were saying. Then I felt a warning rush towards through the Force and I spun around, hands lifted, just in time to see the three of the Imperial Youth Instructors come in, the leader charging at me.
“I'm gonna kill you, you damn little whelp!” I nearly used the Force to shove him back, but I flinched and instead punched my fists out before me, slamming them into his compact chest. He stumbled backward, his ankles tangling so that he crashed to the floor in an undignified sprawl.
The other two thugs with him spread out on either side, flanking me. I steadied my breathing, standing as still as I could, arms loose at my sides. When I heard their feet zipping towards me, I leaped forward, spinning out of their charge, just when they slammed into each other, dirty curses ringing in the air around me. I swung around, fists raised, as I watched the three stand, all clutching at some part of their body, wincing in pain.
“I don't want to fight you. Now, stand down,” I said, putting as much emphasis on these words, a feeling of dread welling up in me as I remembered that stupid party where I helped that ungrateful Satana. I had knocked the leader out that night and now he wanted revenge. I wanted to beat myself over the head at forgetting about that important information; I had been too caught up in my sadness of loosing Kayla's friendship and still simmering with anger over Satana's lies, I had forgotten.
Now I faced the wild pack of angry gundark-like bullies, their huge faces puffy and flushed scarlet with rage and pain.
“You damn little punk. Who do you think you are, picking fights with us?” the leader growled, cracking his meaty fists against each other.
“The only ones picking a fight, are the three of you,” I answered bitingly, drawing in breath through my nose and exhaling it back out through my mouth. The leader roared with rage and charged me again and suddenly I felt as if I were in the flaming Jedi Temple, Anakin looming towards me, my body frozen beneath his stony cruelty. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I let loose a scream, the sound ripping from my chest, and sprang into the air, spinning into a 360 crescent kick, which I slammed into the boy's face. He thudded to the ground, eyes shut, an ugly bruise beginning to clot the right side of his face. The other two stood staring at me, mouths agape, and eyes wide.
“TROOPERS! TROOPERS!! COME NOW!!!” The bigger of the two yelled into his comlink.
I tried to move, to open my mouth to protest or move to intercept the boy's comlink, or even to run. But I couldn't. Blood-red smog seemed to have filled the room and I couldn't see straight. It was just like the nightmares I'd had right after Order 66. Blood was everywhere, running down the walls, clouding in the air, chocking me to death in my mouth. I was shaking; I tried to stop myself but as I said, I couldn't move, my muscles and bones turning to stone beneath my skin.
I looked down through the blood-clotted air to the crumpled form of the boy on the floor and I suddenly felt as if all the air had been knocked out me. I swayed and crashed into one of the sinks, the hard, marble edge jamming deep into my stomach before sucker-punching me in the forehead. I nearly blinked out, the cold tile underneath me reminding me of those cold nights of hiding from Imperials. The shaking got even worse and I felt myself chocking, my eyes raw. My hearing seemed to echo around me and as I somehow managed to thrust myself to my feet, I heard the sound of the pounding footfalls of Clone-I mean, Stormtroopers coming. The door was jerked violently open and five troopers came in, guns raised. A felt another scream bubbling up my throat but I clamped my jaws shut. I couldn't scream or I'd be done for.
“What happened here, sir?” the leader of the troopers said to the biggest of the conscious boys while another trooper stooped by the unconscious one still lying heavily on the floor.
“He-he fought us sir. I told him to stop but he wouldn't listen. He-” he made a face that I supposed was meant to look embarrassed and mumbled.
“He blasphemed the Emperor.” The stormtrooper turned his blank, helmeted face towards me. I wanted to protest, to shout that he lied, but I couldn't summon the resolve to. Looking back, I am horrified at how despondent I had been feeling right then. It wasn't befitting a Jedi or me.
“Come with me,” the trooper said evenly in his iron voice, and took my arm. I didn't even try to remove my arm from his grip, instead just following him passively out the door. The waves of crimson still swayed before my vision, the scream a bubble in my chest, ready to pop at a moments notice. I inhaled and exhaled through my nose as I shuffled along, wishing with all my heart to just drop through the floor and loose myself for a time. The agony that I had managed to stave off for so long had come back and I didn't know how I would ever be able to force it back again.
Suddenly, I had found myself in front of the headmaster's office.
“Enter,” the trooper told me tersely and I obeyed, pushing the door open and walking in. Why I did, I still don't understand. Maybe I hoped a punishment would be able to numb the bleeding mess my pain had caused inside of me. The headmaster stared down at me, his brows pinched in disapproval.
“Please sit, Mr. Shyn.” I had dropped into the chair, staring blankly ahead, as the headmaster rambled and shouted about how my behavior was unacceptablle and how if I broke one more rule I would be thrown out and blah, blah, blah. I didn't really pay him much attention turning his tirade. What did it matter? My family what dead and I was forever going to be alone and nobody cared. Not one person in this kriffing galaxy.
This is where the really bad news comes in. I had been fighting back tears, when I heard a voice spoken my the headmaster.
“Vader.” I snapped back to reality, the shaking stopping and the blushed smears vanishing from the air.
“What was that, sir?” I asked, trying to keep the alarm out of my voice.
“I said, Mr. Shyn, that Lord Vader will be coming tomorrow and I don't have the time to deal with the likes of you picking fights with out esteemed Imperial Youth Instructors.” He looked down at a paper before him.
“Now for your punishment, you will have to lead Lord Vader from his ship to my office where he will speak with me.” A smile, a wicked smile, spread across his face.
“How does that sound, Rune?” I barely heard him over the sound of my beating heart.
Vader? Vader was coming?
Now that would be bad enough, but you see, Vader is also Anakin Skywalker. Anakin who killed my Master, Anakin who nearly killed me but didn't. He would recognize me and I'd be dead.
Now as I sit here in my room, writing this entry, I know I have to do something. I can't let him see me. But what can I do? I'm not even a proper Jedi Knight. I'm just a kid who's braid was cut way to soon.
I have to do something. But what?

Aran Liander

Happy Fourth of July

Happy Fourth of July to all of my followers who live in the U.S. And for those who don't, I hope you have a good day :D.

I've been thinking about sometime soon, writing a post on my opinion regarding certain controversial topics on here sometime. Any suggestions?

I support my President :D :D

May the Force be with you all...Always. :D

Star Wars question survey

I had done something similar on my fanfiction account and when I saw Satine from A Jedi Knight...Or Soon Will be and Kayla from Jedi Filmmaker, I thought I'd do it as well.



1. Your favorite character.

Obi-Wan Kenobi, of course. :) He's such a well done, developed character, one I can relate to very easily, he's a very kind, calm individual, and he's just plan awesome!! :D :D :D


2. Your favorite sith.

Darth Vader. He's a great character and in the end, makes the right choice and becomes a Jedi again :).


3. Your favorite bounty hunter.

Boba Fett, I guess. Bounty Hunters have never been my thing in the SW universe.




4. Your favorite moment to mock.

When Obi-Wan and Anakin are in the speeder chase and are making funny verbal jabs at each other. XD


5. Your favorite pirate.
Hondo, I guess. I don't like pirates, though, since they are criminals.

6. Your favorite senator.

Padme Amidala, Bail Organa, and Riyo Chuchi are the best!! :D I also like Mon Mothma.


7. Your favorite creature.

Boga, I guess

8. Your favorite movie.

Revenge of the Sith is my absolute, hands down, favorite movie of the saga and in general. My second favorite Star Wars film is Return of the Jedi, closely followed by The Phantom Menace.


9. Your favorite movie character.

Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Mace Windu, and Yoda
I also like Padme and Han

10. Your favorite EU character.

The EU rules!! Siri Tachi!!! :D :D She is so cool! :D She's my second favorite character after Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars overall.

My other favorite EU characters are - Jaina Solo, Anakin Solo, Tahiri Veila, Ferus Olin, and Tenel Ka Chume Ta' Djo


11. Your favorite weapon.

Lightsabers of course :) "An elegant weapon, from a more civilized age."


12. Favorite non-human species/race.
Twi'leks and Togrutas.

13. Most memorable death.
Obi-Wan's, Anakin's, Qui-Gon's, and Siri's.

14. Favorite Clone Wars episode.
Friends and Enemies, Ghosts of Mortis, Citadel Rescue, Overlords, Altar of Mortis, The Citadel, Mystery of a Thousand Moons, The Box, The Gungan General, Carnage of Krell, Escape from Kadavo, Innocents of Ryloth, Deception, Counterattack, Legacy of Terror, Dooku Captured, Blue Shadow Virus, Legacy of Terror, Brain Invaders, Weapons Factory, Lethal Trackdown, Crisis on Naboo, R2 Come Home, The Zillo Beast, The Zillo Beast Strikes Back, and Destroy Malevolence.

15. Your favorite vehicle.
The Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor and the Delta-7 Aethersprite-class light interceptor (Jedi Interceptor and Jedi Starfighter). I also like the X-Wing and the Millennium Falcon

16. Your favorite planet.
Naboo and Coruscant

17. Your favorite romance.

Obi-Wan Kenobi and Siri Tachi; you're looking at their number 1 shipper(well, one of them, anyway XD). I just love how it all works and much it makes sense; I didn't think the idea would work until I read "Secrets of the Jedi" back when I was eleven. It is my favorite shipping pair ever and I wish there could be more books written with these two characters :).


18. Your favorite scene.

The entire Duel on Mustafar sequence, especially the end with the dialogue; it's a very powerful, sad scene and I love how it was written and acted out. I also like the Duel on Naboo, especially when Obi-Wan kills Darth Maul, and when Vader returns to the light side and restores balance and peace to the Force and to the galaxy; I also love anything with Obi-Wan and Anakin, or Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, or Obi-Wan and Siri, they're the best. :)


19. Your favorite era.

The Clone Wars era, Pre-The Phantom Menace era, Pre-Clone Wars era, the Rebellion era, the New Republic/Jedi Order era, and the Old Republic era.

20. Your favorite Star Wars spoof/parody.
The "How it Should have ended" Star Wars videos, John Williams is the Man, Clone Wars Tick-Tock parody, The Saga Begins, Spoof Wars, Random Star Wars dub videos, and videos by Darth Milo.

21. Most memorable John Williams music.

Duel of the Fates, Binary Sunset, Victory Celebration, Auggies Great Municiple Band, Across the Stars, Battle of the Heroes, Star Wars theme, Qui-Gon's funeral theme, and Imperial March.

22. Your favorite droid.

R2-D2, C-3PO, and R4

23. Your favorite Jedi.

Obi-Wan Kenobi, Siri Tachi, Qui-Gon Jinn, Anakin Skywalker, Jaina Solo, Luke Skywalker, Anakin Solo, Tahiri Veila, Ferus Olin, Shaak Ti, Aayla Secura, Luminara Unduli, Barriss Offee, Mace Windu, Yoda, Adi Gallia, Satele Shan, Bastila Shan, Nomi Sunrider, Vima Sunrider, Stass Allie, Darra Thel-Tanis, Tru Veld, Bant Eerin, Jacen Solo, Whie Maleraux, Scout, Ahsoka Tano, Mara Jade, Ben Skywalker, and my two Jedi characters.

24. Your favorite Force power.
Force Cloak, Wall of Light, Force push/pull, Deadly Sight, Plant Surge, and many other powers that make you able to do really cool things.

25. Favorite Clone Wars character.

Ahsoka Tano, Riyo Chuchi, Sugi, Rex, Waxer, Echo, Hevy, Fives, Boil, Cutup, Droidbait, and Embo.

26. Most heart breaking moment.
Obi-Wan and Anakin on Mustafar(Obi-Wan looses his brother, friend, and son :(), when Qui-Gon dies, Order 66, the entire second half of Revenge of the Sith, when Siri dies, and when Tahl dies.

27. Most heroic moment.
When Vader becomes Anakin once more and defeats Palpatine and when Obi-Wan faced Darth Maul alone. I also love it when Obi-Wan jumped out that window in AotC.

28. Least favorite moment.
The romance scenes between Anakin/Padme and Han/Leia in the movies. :p
I also don't like some things that happened in The Clone Wars t.v series. Oh, and all tthe anti-Jedi slander in Karen Traviss's Star Wars books.

29. Funniest moment.
Obi-Wan and Anakin's banter XD. I also really like Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon's and Obi-Wan and Siri's banter as well. I also thought it was funny when in Jedi Quest, Obi-Wan and Siri had to dress up in silly clothing and they kept taking jabs at each other.

Beautiful Blog Award

1. Thank the person who nominated you and give the link. - Thank you, Helen! :D (from The Life of a Musician and Dancer) :)

2. Tell us how the idea of making a blog popped into your head and why you continue it. My mom had been blogging for about a year and some other people I knew were doing it as well so I thought it looked fun. I continue to do it because I've found so many great friends through blogger and the fact that people enjoy what I post about :).

3. Describe a usual day of your life.
Get up, get ready, do school work if it's the school year, write my book, read, check Facebook, Blogger, the forum I'm on, watch videos on youtube, and do the activities I am doing that day.

4. The best collaboration with a blogger(s).
The only time I've ever collaborated with anyone was when I did an Interview and wrote a guest post on JandJ Prouductions and when I joined in on the character discussion of Qui-Gon Jinn on Pandas, Lightsabers, and Cameras, oh my; they were all good experiences :)

5. Worst collaboration with a blogger(s): I haven't had one.

6. Explain what having this blog means to you.
I love it and I'm so thankful for it. Through blogger, I have met many of my online friends and I enjoy writing posts and talking about my life and what I like and getting to talk to others who share similar interests. I also found the Lakehouse through blogger and for that, I am also very thankful. And I never would have seen The Avengers if I hadn't been on blogger.

7. Nominate 5 followers for this award.

Arda from In Western Lands
James from JandJ Productions
Satine from A Jedi Knight....or Soon Will Be
Voronda from A Believer's Journey
Solace Utara from Prophets of the Force
Aayla Rain from Fangirl; Farmgirl
Lee from Scattered Sunshine

P.S. - Solace, the chapter for my fanfiction is below if you want to read it :)