Note: This is also posted on my DeviantArt account.

Tell your friends- boys 12-15 can audition AT HOME to be Aang in the live-action Avatar movie! (If only my son were four years older!!)

I'm glad I clicked on the link over at Distant Horizon, because if I hadn't, I would still assume that you had to go to California or Florida or NY, etc. to audition. But you don't!

Go to http://www.thelastairbendercasting.com/index.php for details. They have a complete kit for your at-home Aang audition, including test script! They wanna see your tape (or disk?). They specify that they are looking for NEW talent and not necessarily someone with previous acting experience. Here's some info from the site:

"We are looking for a young man to play the lead role of Aang in this motion picture franchise. We are considering male actors 12-15 years old, Caucasian or any other ethnicity. He must be athletic and graceful with an ability in Martial Arts (not necessarily extensive experience, but at least an aptitude for it). Kids with experience in gymnastics, dance, or sports could also be good. He is a young adventurer and should seem like the type of young man who will grow up to be heroic."

I'm a little jealous because my son is only 8. He's tall but wouldn't sound old enough to pass for 12-15. Looks-wise, though, he looks like Aang, right down to his slim build, his round face, brown eyebrows and grey eyes. Maybe we'll do an audition tape just for the fun of it... don't think I'm going to let him shave his head just for that, though.

Anyway, I have also posted a new fanart tribute to Avatar Aang (not a vid, sorry). Just click on the pic to see the full-size version on my dA page.

*Falls off chair laughing*

Boy, has this girl got Nick pegged!

Gagstrip 73 from Booter-Freak on DA.

Hello friends, it's been a while. I return to bring you a blog that is very close to my heart.

June is Scoliosis Awareness Month in the U.S. Scoliosis is a condition of the spine that causes it to curve abnormally from side to side. There are several types, but the most common is adolescent idiopathic (no known cause) scoliosis. It is most common among pre-teen and teen girls, although boys get it too. You may have scoliosis. If not, you probably know someone who does… even if you don't know it.

Treatment for scoliosis range from exercises to body braces to surgery, usually in that order. Surgery is avoided if possible, because the surgery is quite invasive and serious. Surgery is even more invasive and serious for adults than it is for teens. I thought this would be the perfect time to share some advice, plus my own story.

I have lived with scoliosis my whole teen and adult life. So first, the advice, to kids with scoliosis (and kids who want to understand kids with scoliosis) from someone who knows:

1) DO THE EXERCISES. WEAR THE BRACE. Just do it. You can whine, curse, cry in pain and embarrassment, but do what the docs tell you to do. You may need surgery someday anyway, but you don't know that… and you want to do ANYTHING you can to prevent surgery. When you feel like taking the brace off early because you think it hurts, just think about how it will feel to have titanium rods screwed into your spine.

2) I know you may feel embarrassed, ashamed, and may think "Why me?" but you are NOT alone. Scoliosis is fairly common, especially among adolescent girls. Many famous people have scoliosis. Want to know who? http://www.scoliosis-world.com/famous_people_with_scoliosis.htm

3) You can have scoliosis and still have a life! Yes, it is very serious, but there is a lot YOU CAN DO to improve the way you feel. Good diet, rest and exercise are a must… I have found that exercise always makes my back feel better, even if I was reluctant to do it at first because of pain.

4) If it's OK with your doctors and your parents, try a TEAM approach. Consider help from other specialists… I have found that chiropractic adjustments and podiatrist-prescribed orthotics have greatly improved my quality of life and helped my spine stay healthy despite the curve. You can have a full and healthy life!

Here are some Web resources:

Scoliosis Research Society

National Scoliosis Foundation resources (includes fashion advice for girls with scoliosis)

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And now, if you want to read it: my own story with scoliosis.

I was diagnosed with scoliosis shortly before my 12th birthday. It was the most common type- adolescent idiopathic (no known cause) scoliosis. I went through many months of exercises and an extremely uncomfortable, but all-too-necessary plastic and foam brace. Unfortunately, the brace was so painful that I did not wear it as often as I should—I wore it for sleeping and during waking hours when I was at home, but I was supposed to wear it for a minimum of 23 hours a day.

My curve improved slightly at first, but then began to get worse again, and my parents decided not to pursue further treatment. I had back pain throughout high school and college, but it never stopped me from doing anything I wanted to do.

Fast-forward many years. After my son was born, I began to experience incapacitating lower-back pain, so I went to see another specialist. Turns out my scoliosis had gotten much worse and would eventually need surgery. However, a combination of back strengthening exercises, chiropractic care and orthotics for my shoes helped to alleviate the pain.

I am in my late 30s and have yet to have surgery. If you could see my X-rays, my spine looks like a reverse "S" from the back. I am actually VERY blessed to have lasted this long without serious spinal disk wear or other health issues. I anticipate having corrective surgery within 1-2 years. The surgery will likely be a massively invasive procedure (or procedures, more likely) that may or may not give me a good result. It will take a month just for the anesthesia to wear off, and I will be unable to lift anything heavier than a milk jug for several months. I plan to start exercising very seriously in the next month, and if it turns out I need surgery in a year, I will soon have to start donating my own blood to store up for the procedure.

Yeah, I'm mostly gone from Tv.com, but I got this on DeviantArt and I was amused...

Zuko and Mello are BFF by Booter-Freak

Who knew that a Death Note Character shares my moniker? Now I guess I'll have to start watching that too along with Naruto and Bleach. After all, who knows when Avatar will come back on.

Peace.

Mello

Hello all,

I just wanted to let you know that I will be leaving the TV.com boards permanently in February. I don't watch much TV other than Avatar, Bleach, Naruto and the news and honestly, there are other places to discuss those shows that have more reasonable rules and more respectful members. (Although I am not talking about anybody who'd actually be reading my blog! For real. )

I will write one last "farewell blog" in a couple of weeks. I will glance over my messages and comments for a while after that, but I won't be posting or replying anymore.

For those of you who wish to stay in contact with me, you can still find me on DeviantArt, on Bleach Asylum (where my user name is flower) or send me an email at mellomuse@yahoo.com. I also occasionally post on Dongbu Feng or Distant Horizon, but I am much more of an Avatar watcher now than a discusser-poster.

Ta-ta! Love you all.

Mello