September 16, 2007

Hey! Thanks for being so patient. I'm trying really hard to get this back on track. This project has the most amazing supporters ever and I'd like to thank each and every one of you. Specially Niiromaus at our forum who is helping me out big time with getting our site back on track. She has also helped me to make money-donation possible. So yes, you heard right, money-donation is possible now!

Be patient,
take care,
Joanna

Hey all! Here's an update for you to know what's going on.

First of all, I'm so, so sorry that I haven't been around in a while. There's a few reasons for that but the truth is that I still could've been around more.

As some of you know, my computer is broken so I can't do all the things I'd want to. I should've gotten a new computer weeks ago but I still haven't got one. I'm supposed to get it this week but I can't promise anything. I've also had a hard time trying to approve friend requests in MySpace but I did it now (I'm on school's computer).

I've also been kind of depressed lately. I don't really know why but I'm just not satisfied with my life. I've drifted far away from MCR and that has made me even more sad. I've tried to listen to them and do all other things to get back closer to them and it was hard. I was so afraid because MCR was keeping me away from hurting myself. I heard a silly rumour about Gerard being back on drugs and MCR splitting up, and as far as I don't think it's true, it was a true reality-check for me and I realised how much this band really means to me. Now I'm feeling better and more in love with MCR than ever before (or almost). I'm still feeling little sad but I'm not giving up.

I feel kind of guilty because of keeping you in the shadows for such a long time but I hope you can forgive me. I'm sure as hell ain't quitting this project and stopping to fight media. I'm still against all these things I was against months ago and I'm not fucking giving up. I'm getting back to you as soon as I'm able to.

Let's fucking give 'em hell.


xoxo,
Joanna

CBS, EMO-INVESTIGATION

THIS IS THE FEEDBACK I SENT:
"The site looks professional and all that stuff but there's some feedback I'm going to give you here even though I know you wouldn't want me to.

It's about the Emo-investigators thing I just saw. I want you to know that I'm talking for not only myself, but for thousands of kids behind me.

You need to open your eyes. There have been kids AND adults that cut for a long time and now it's being attached to the term "Emo". This is a sad world, there's war, violence, drugs and all the other bad things, and still media thinks kids cut because of emo music. You really need to open your eyes. It's something deeper. Kids have problems at home, they're being bullied at school, their parent's don't have faith in them - THAT'S what's depressing them.

Stereotyping bands like My Chemical Romance (and all these other bands you mentioned) as a band that promotes self-harm/suicide, is incredibly offensive to us and them. It's lazy on the part of adults and critics who, instead of admitting that maybe they haven't been there for their kids, choose a scapegoat instead. Kids don't self-harm because some band tells them to, they don't self-harm because they are emo and think that's the right thing to do. That's something parents, adults and the wider world need to know and respect.

It's not the bands that make kids suicidal, it's the depressed kids that lean on music and find only comfort in their life in it. Depressed kids don't want to listen to Britney Spears, they want to listen to something that they can relate to. Sometimes music is the only thing that kids can trust in this world. Music makes life meaningful for others, it makes kids feel like they have a purpose and like they have a reason to live. And they do. Every one of us has every right to be in this world. We have the right to stand up for the things that mean a lot to us. We have the right to stand up for our rights. We have the right to dye our hair black without hearing from others that we're emo. We have the right to listen to My Chemical Romance without everyone thinking we slit our wrists. We have the right to let a band effect our lives without other people considering it a cliche. These are our rights. Rights that every people should have without having to fight for them.

Kids are being labeled as "emos" by media and that is what's depressing them. Emo wasn't anything until media really started to fight against it. Instead of fighting against emo and the bands you think are related to it, how about having a little faith with the new generation? "Emo" is something media has ruined, and it's the media that's killing the new generation. There will be a time when when you aren't here anymore, there is only the generation that are now labeled as "emos". Have faith in those kids, because right now the bands that you try to destroy, are the only thing that do have faith that generation.

+ You should also do a better research. It doesn't even take much to know that My Chemical Romance is everything but emo. They are a band that got in to this to save lives.
You should also check out this:
www.mylivingromance.urli.net"


xoxo,
Joanna

My Chemical Romance @ Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland
+ Billy Talent (video)
(+ Happiness)

3 nights. 4 days. 1 band. 6000 fans. 1st row. The best day ever and I just can't get over it. The people in the line were so great it was really nice to hang out with them for 4 days. It was like a real family.
We also had a couple MCRmy meetings, 'cause Warner had suggested that if MCRmy Finland would make a gift for MCR, some Warner agent would deliver it. The gift was so great, there were 6 t-shirts saying SUOMI (=Finland), a letter, a picture of MCRmy (well, part of it) and a game called Molkky. We decorated the game and it turned out so good! A PIC.
At 7 on Tuestday night we were let in and oh god how I ran. And I got excatly where I wanted to. First row, in the middle, in the fucking middle. And I didn't lose my place at once. I had worked so hard to get a good place and to make my first MCR-concert perfect and now it was all happening. I was so happy, I just hugged everyone around me. There were some security-guards standing in front of us and we were bored so we were like "let's chat" and one of the security guards was really nice.
The first warm up act was a band called Happiness and it was so lame. I didn't care much though, I was so happy I didn't care what was happening before MCR. Then the nice security-guard was like "Yeah, the other warm up starts in a sec" and we were like "what other warm up?" and he was like "it was a suprise, Billy Talent is here." WHAT A SUPRISE! Billy Talent came on stage and they were so good and I was so happy. I saw Billy Talent live how cool is that!
When My Chemical Romance got on stage it was unbeliveable, everyone was screaming and noise was so loud! They started with This Is How I Disappear and everyone went crazy around me, yelling and crying and screaming. I was in a complite shock, mouth wide open with tears in my eyes - they were there right in front of me. Fuck, they were there! Them I got crazy too, I was so happy. I know I'm repeating again and again but it's true. It's was just like in the first row, without any water, sweaty, being squeezed by everyone, I felt like it was the only place I could ever feel like I can get along all by myself. This concert was so what I needed, it gave me so much faith in that I don't need other people to get through life and to be what I want to be. It's my business, my mission, my life and it depends on nobody else but me. I don't need other people to succeed in life. And I'm not saying I want to get rid of all my friends to be stronger on my own, not at all. I'm just saying that if someone couldn't care less to be my friend, I don't give a shit. I'm not going to make anyone be anything. Live goes on how it does, I'm no-one to change that and I'm not accountable for anyone.
Anyway, moving on...I didn't cry until Cemetery Drive, propably because it's my favourite song by MCR. Well, one of them. After that I cried during so many songs. After the concert Frank came out and I got my microphone signed, I'm so happy (for a change....).

Just so you know, my life is going to be pretty MCR-based for a while for now on. The meaning of this band and my love for this band is so huge, that's it. I wrote a personal letter to MCR and a friend of my who got a invite to Meet&Greet (only 11 person did!) delivered it to them. There was a project-flyer included and I wrote something behind the flyer too. Just wanted to let you know. (: And there was a stamped envelope with my adress in it too, just in case. ;)

These videos aren't filmed by me.

WHAT THEY PLAYED:
This Is How I Disappear (video)
Dead! (video)
I'm Not Okay (I Promise) (video)
Cemetery Drive (video)
The Sharpest Lives (video)
Welcome To The Black Parade (video)
I Don't Love You (video)
Give 'Em Hell Kid (video)
House Of Wolves (video)
Teenagers (video)
Ghost Of You (video)
The Jetset Life Is Gonna Kill You
You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us In Prison (video) (video)
Sleep (video)
Heaven Help Us (video part 1) (video part 2)
Mama (video part1) (video part 2) (video part 3)
Famous Last Words (video)
Cancer (video)
Thank You For The Venom (video)
Kill All Your Friends (video)
Helena (video) dedicated to MCRmy Finland

MYLIVINGROMANCE -WEBSITE TEMPORARELY DOWN. READ THIS TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.

The site got so popular that freewebs froze it. However, for some odd reason, it's working again for now. We can't have a website that can be viewed only when freewebs wants it to, so now we need more help and support than ever, the money kind. We are having a little break now so that when we get back on track, we will be stronger than ever. We are going to make money-donation possible, so we can buy a domain and get it hosted. I promise that all the money given to us is going to be used by this project, not by us personally.


In the future our project will be split to three categories.

We're Okay Now
This is still going to be the main site. The "Our Side Of The story" -section will still be here. If you have a story that you haven't sent to us yet, e-mail mylivingromance@netti.fi and share your story! By sending your story, you are giving the permission to publish your story in MySpace and this website or any related site in the internet. You can write anonymous! If you don't have a story, but you still have a lot to say, you can also e-mail us! There is no time-limit.

Life On The Inspiration Scene
This part of the site will be dedicated to art, photography, music, poetry - anything that's been inspired by My Chemical Romance. The booklet and the documentarty can also be found here when they're done.

The One Good Thing -campaigne
My Chemical Romance has been encouraging people to "do one good thing a day". It doesn't matter what it is, but do atleast one good thing a day - then post it up and share it with us. We're good. The campaigne is still at it's planning-phase.


I really am truly sorry that the website is so messed up. When we get this back on track - it's going to be huge.
XOXO,
-J

Second interview I've done with this project.

"My Chemical Romance is encouraging people to live no matter what they're facing.

One of todays most succesful bands of the bands included to "emo-genre", My Chemical Romance from New Jersey, has got a lots of dirt from international press and some of the famous names from music-industry. The Daily Mail has has claimed the band to be "a potential leader-figure of suicide-cult", Brandon Flowers from The Killers has described My Chemical Romance as dangerous, and Kasabian thinks it's dark and weird. It's been told by many directions, that with their lyrics and music My Chemical Romance is encouraging teenagers to hurt themselves or even commit suicide.

16 years old Joanna Tzortzis has had enough of this and the outcome is international WE'RE OKAY NOW -titled project. The idea of the project is to prove media wrong by collecting stories from the fans about how the band has helped to survive in the hard situations in life.
"The totality of the project has been somewhere in my mind for a long time so building the sites and collecting supportesrs didn't take that much time after all. Finally it started off really fast and I was really suprised about how much support I got from the other fans."

A good sign on a growing popularity is that theres almost a hundred stories published at the moment and there's a couple pages more waiting in Joanna's e-mail.

Lead-singer Gerard Way has suffered from depression and intoxicantissues himself, and Joanna thinks it's very frustrating that when the lead-singer is trying to get people to get help, the positive intentions are turned around as a total opposite.
"My Chem isn't depressing people, the people that are depressed find comfort from My Chem. That's how it goes. Specially when it's a band with a strong message like this. And I do think it's kind of weird that a band that particularly gives hope and is inciting their fans to live, is labeled as a 'suicidal cult'."
"Personally I see some lyrics as some sort of irony screaming 'hello, these are straight thoughts from your head and they don't make any sence'. That's the good and bad thing about My Chemical Romance's lyrics, they can be construed as so many ways."

Joanna has spread the word to many foreign publications too, though the response has been pretty bad so far. Joanna hasn't seen a reason to contact finnish media but will do so if she thinks she has to.

From finnish Warner Joanna has asked a interview with regard to 3rd of July concert in Helsinki. "So far all the interview-slots are full, but if more time will be available, the sitution might change" Joanna says with full of hope. "I'd really want their blessing to this project and stuff. At this moment I feel like speaking for them behind their back."

When asking future plans, Joanna mentions I Brought You My Misery, You saved My Life -booklet and Three Cheers For Saving Lives -documentary.

More information about the project in http://www.mylivingromance.urli.net and www.myspace.com/mylivingromance"

By: Hanna Viitaniemi

Sorry for all the grammar-mistakes. I translated it myself again. You can view the original interview here in finnish.

I love you,
-Joanna XOXO

INTERNATIONAL MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE -DAY

As you all know, July 23rd will be from here on be known as International My Chemical Romance -day! On that day do whatever you can to show your love for My Chemical Romance. It doesn't matter what it is, whatever you feel like doing, DO IT! But there's one thing we all must do.

If you have any My Chemical Romance -merch that can be worn, WEAR IT!

Post what you did on the day to anyone of the MCR forums and groups. Show the world how much you love My Chemical Romance and just how important they are to the world!


HOW DOES THIS CONCERN WE'RE OKAY NOW -PROJECT?

Well obviously the international My Chemical Romance -day is the perfect occasion to go crazy with this project. Print out flyers, get together with other fans and SPREAD THE WORD! This is a perfect chance to do it on the same day and be heard all over the world!

I love you,
-Joanna XOXO

We just hit 1000+ friends at MySpace! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'm so happy! =)

I love you,
-Joanna XOXO

I've written my story to our website now too. I just read it. it's really hard you know? And I want to thank each and every one of you who has written their story. It's hard, I know, I really appreciate that you do it anyway. For me, for us, for this project, for My Chemical Romance, and most importantly for yourself. It's hard, but you know...writing your life down kind of helps. Or not kind of, I mean it really does. You don't really realise everything until you say it out loud or write it down and see it for yourself.

Weird really. And hard. But I am proud of you. You can read my story here if you want to.

I love you,
I really do
-Joanna XOXO

Yesterday I finished looking through all 926 profiles of our MySpace -friends. (If you haven't got a comment, I've still looked your profile through it's just because of I either didn't find the comment-link, it didn't work, or your profile was too slow for my computer.) I just wanted to say I love you just as much as I love My Chemical Romance. In a different way though, but I do. You're all so genuine and special, don't ever doubt that.

Sometimes we all do feel like we're nothing at all. Like we've been crushed and forgot, like no-one cares. But that's not true. Every one of us have every right to be in this world even if life is sometimes telling us we don't. Life sucks, it kicks you in the head big time and that doesn't feel good. Life isn't sweet. Life isn't all the happy things and balloons. Life just isn't. It's just life. And we have to fucking fight against it. Make the world a better place. Help others and make something meanful for us and others.

Don't ever think you're all alone, 'cause you're not. Even if you feel like a total outcast, like no-one notices you or doesn't care, -you are not alone. You are loved and people care about you. My Chemical Romance cares about you and I most definitely care about you. Don't you ever forget that. Don't give up, fight against the unfairness of life. Be here with us, keep fighting the good fight.

I love you,
I really do
-Joanna XOXO

Hi! There's two things on my mind.

a) I made a forum for us so please register there! There's a forum section on the menu. Sence there's no conversation in our livejournal, I'm hoping there will be in our forum.

b) I've sended an interview-request to Warner. So far they have so much interview-requests from the media that so far they can't promise me an interview ('cause the interview-slots have been full for weeks), but if they get some more time, the situation might change. :)

HIT THE FORUM!!!!

I love you,
-Joanna XOXO

I was thinking today (wow), that I'd like to have an interview with My Chemical Romance. I'd just like to let them know about this project and have them blessing (or not) and know this project is okay with them. I was told by lovely Imre from My Chemical Romance -forum, that I should try to get in touch with the department of Warner Music here in Finland. I found a person from the MARKETING & PROMOTION -section and there's "Promotion, international artists" under her name. I think she's the right person so I'm going to call her next week. I'm really, really nervous and I don't know what to say yet. I'm only 16 years old and adults usually look younger people down with things like this.

Other than that, I'm quite peaceful and trustful with this project. I know this project doesn't represent anything that's wrong. I know I'm not wrong. And even if I were, our job isn't always to be right. Making mistakes is just part of life and it teatches you. I might work with this project 'til the end of time still not getting any attention from the media, but there's other things to it. I get something from this project. Other people get something from this project. This projects makes fans -including me- feel better. It lets other people to stand up for what they believe in. It lets other people be part of something. It lets other people share their story. So whatever happens, I have succeeded in something. I've seen the effort and made something to change the world. I've done something meanful for me and other people. So I know this project counts.

Well, yeah. I should stop typing now. I'm starting to make only sentences when I should make thoughts on the screen.
I love you,
-Joanna XOXO

ps. Our MySpace isn't working for us so I can't read your messages or comments. Or do anything else. I'm hoping it starts to work again at some point...

First interview I've done with this project.

"Fans are more than just a fashion-phenomenon

In the beginning of 2007, different fan-phenomenons are deifinitely ready to blossom in Finland too. Eurovision-song contest, the latest Harry Potter and many foreign top-artists are tempting their fans to day-light. One person might see fans as obsessive hysteric, another one might think they're childish. But how does the fan feel like?

For 16-year old Joanna Tzortzis, the 6th of July is a real luckyday. That's the day she'll see her favourite band live. It's when My Chemical Romance arrives to Finland from USA. She found out about the bad couple of years ago and now to her it has become the band that's staying in her heart for life.

Joanna says that her fan'ness grew as big as it is now when she was heading to My Chemical Romance's concert in Stockholm last november.
- I had the ticket and I had arranged everything but the trip failed at the very last minute for my part, she says. - When all my friends were in Sweden, I canalized my misery through finding out everything that I didn't already know about My Chemical Romance. And I didn't feel that incomplite anymore.

Fans are often considered as a temporary teenage-phase and sometimes even as a fashion-phenomenon. Teenagers are considered as flocksouls who like what everybody else likes. To Joanna My Chemical Romance is so much more. She says the band has left a permanent mark to her identity.
- I'm not okay but maybe I don't even have to be. I'm not flawless but I have the right to be lost, Joanna describes things that she has learned. - After finding My Chemical Romance, I've learned to canalize my feelings through music, writing and art.

Specially in foreign media My Chemical Romance has been labelled as a band that worships death. Fans are experiencing the message other way around and are defending the band furiously. Also Joanna wanted to do something about it and founded WE'RE OKAY NOW -project. The idea is to collect stories from other fans of how My Chemical Romance has helped through rough times.
- Labelling My Chemical Romance as a band that encourages their fans to hurt theirselfs is incredibly offencive to the fans and to the band. I'm trying to speak to the media for the rights that we all have.

Joanna praises My Chemical Romance's fans incredibly kind and caring. Band's fan-culture is at it's top in concerts ans waiting in front of the concert-place. The queue is used as much for meeting other fans as waiting to get in. In the beginning of July, a finnish fan-army is assembling front of J��halli waiting to see their idols. You can also find Joanna there."

by: Kaisa Talola

I've translated the interview myself so I'm sorry about all the grammar-mistakes.
-Joanna XOXO

JUST SO YOU KNOW...
So far, I've send a letter to 9 different magazines today.

xoxo
Joanna

"MCR are leaders of the emo, short for emotional hardcore movement, and as with many teen music fashions, parents are disgusted. But it is not just bad language or weird clothes that have the oldies worried. Critics say emo glorifies suicide and self-harming. And it is not only parents and the authorities who are anti-emo. This month The Sun told how British band Kasabian launched a scathing attack, with lead singer Tom Meighan saying: "It's all about inflicting self-harm on children. These kids believe they are being rebellious. But they are just moaning at each other.""

You can read the whole article in here!

This is not what people should think. Stand up fucking tall.

xoxo
Joanna

Thank you all so much for supporting this project. I woke up today, feeling sick and having a fever. Not the best way a day could start. Having a breakfast and coming to read My Living Romance's e-mail changed it. The e-mail got almost blocked for having so much stories. Coming to MySpace, and seeing 12 PAGES of friend reaquestes made me smile big time. At the moment, I'm proud of myself. I'm happy for starting this project. We can do this. We will do this. Like someone said, the more they say MCR are bad, the more we prove them wrong.

Take care,
xoxo Joanna

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