Minisode: This Is Me

NARRATION:
Hey there! It’s Dania Ramos, Timestorm series creator. This is a minisode where you’ll get to learn a bit more about Sonia, one of Alexa and Beni’s friends. Remember when she says this: 

SONIA:
Well, I’ve got to run to my guitar lesson, then vocal coaching. I’m getting ready for the musician’s showcase this Friday. I’m debuting my latest original song. I think. But I kind of want to rewrite the last verse before then.

NARRATION:
How about this text message:

SONIA:
Hi Lex, Wanted to let you know that the showcase is at seven, Friday night. Brick City Cafe. Singing the new song I wrote. Rewrote the last verse. I think it's good enough. Maybe I should rewrite it again. Super nervous. Hey, I’ll send you a recording of the song. If you have time, let me know what you think?

NARRATION:
And then a few episodes later she asks her friends:

SONIA:
Did you at least get a chance to listen to the demo I sent you? 

ALEXA/BENI/JANELLY:
Demo?

SONIA:
I worked really hard on that song, guys.

NARRATION:
Okay. Maybe you’re wondering about this song that Sonia keeps talking about. Well, you’re about to hear how she wrote it.


2017. SONIA’S FAMILY HOME - BACKYARD. NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

SONIA starts her voice memo app on her phone. Birds chirp in the background.

SONIA:
September fourth, two thousand seventeen. I've got an idea for this new song. Oh, it's Labor Day. Ugh. Summer just flew by. Anyway, I’m really liking the progression I came up with, but the lyrics, I just don't know... Okay, here's verse one, I think, of..."Untitled Song Written on Labor Day." Okay.

MUSIC: GUITAR STRUMS OVER:

SONIA:
I'm eating alone 
She comes up to me 
And says, "You talk like a bunny.”

A grill ignites in the background.

SONIA:
That's not going to work. I need to think. I need to focus. I need a burger. Dad just fired up the grill. To be continued.


2017. SONIA’S FAMILY HOME - BATHROOM. NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

SONIA starts her voice memo app on her phone as she slams a door closed.

SONIA:
Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay! September tenth, two thousand seventeen.

There's a knock on the door.

SONIA:
(shouting to family outside) No one come in this bathroom: I'm recording! (back into recorder) This chorus just came out of my brain and I think it's killer. Stop what you're doing, world-of-no-one, and listen to this. Here goes...

MUSIC: GUITAR STRUMMING UNDER SINGING.

SONIA:
I don’t know what you are like. 
I don’t know what you are like. 
I don’t know what you are like, 
But this is me!

It's simple, yeah, I know, but I think I'm liking it. Oh, and just you wait, verse two is coming! Verse two, how I love thee!

SONIA:
I don't know what you are like...

2017. SONIA’S FAMILY HOME - SONIA’S ROOM. NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

SONIA starts her voice memo app on her phone. She flips a page in her notebook.

SONIA:
September sixteenth, two thousand seventeen. Oh, verse two, how I hate thee. You're giving me such issues. Verse two brainstorm: 

Words that grow
From my head
They mix 
Together
Until they’re dead
To me

Too dark.

Birds that flow

Wait...Birds. BIRDS? WORDS.

SONIA flips a notebook page.

SONIA:
Words that flow from my—

No, no. Flow...flow...waves flow?

WAVES that flow 
From my head,
My…my skin, my eyes
They get...red.

SONIA flips a notebook page. She flips back onto her back.

SONIA:
What is it allergy season?! I don't know about these lyrics. But...it's a start.


2017. SONIA’S HOME. SONIA’S ROOM. NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

Sonia starts her voice memo app on her phone.

SONIA:
Okay. September twentieth, two thousand seventeen. Demo one of...I think I’m calling it: "This is Me.”

I’m at this party, they stare at me, 
whispering, “She talks so funny!”

All I want is to stand and scream: This is all I’ve got. 
This is me.
This is me!

Hey, I don’t know what you are like. 
No, I don’t know what you are like. 
So, I don’t know what you are like, but this is me!

Waves that flow from my head
My skin, my eyes
So misread
This is me.

All I want is to stand and scream: This is all I’ve got. 
This is me.
This is me!

Hey, I don’t know what you are like. 
No, I don’t know what you are like. 
So, I don’t know what you are like, but this is me!
But this is me!

I grab my hand, years ago.
I hold it tight and won’t let go 
Fly to the sand and waves of blue 
We sing so loud...
We sing so loud...
We sing our truth!

Hey, I don’t know what you are like.
No, I don’t know what you are like.
So, I don’t know what you are like, but this is me!
But this is me. 
But this is me. 
But this is me.
This is me, yeah.

This is me.

NARRATION:
That was demo one of “This is Me.”

MUSIC: THEME SONG: "IN THE TIMESTORM" (INSTRUMENTAL).

NARRATION:
This minisode of Timestorm was written, sound-designed, and engineered by Michael Aquino. Story by Dania Ramos. Michael Aquino also wrote the original music. The role of Sonia was played by Jessica Bracken. “This Is Me” vocals were by Jessica Bracken with Michael Aquino on guitar.

We want share a review we got on Apple Podcasts. Meowkitty187 wrote: I’m 11 and I love it! Make more please! ALL HAIL TIMESTORM! We’re so grateful for the listener reviews.

Timestorm is produced by Cocotazo Media and is a proud member of TRAX from PRX. Support for TRAX comes from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. To learn more about TRAX, visit TRAX dot fm: that’s t-r-a-x-dot fm. Additional support comes from the PRX Google Podcasts creator program.

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Timestorm is produced in Essex County, New Jersey, which is situated on the traditional territory of the Leni Lenape people.

As always, thanks for listening.

ATABEY:
Witness. Find. Remember.