I’ve had a bit of an emotional rollercoaster of a week – all internalised of course because I clearly have issues. But I don’t really feel like getting into it. Let’s just say it was my grandfather’s funeral yesterday and it was quite tough to find myself sitting on the other side of the world to my family and being unable to support them. That’s really what upset me more than anything. I mean I feel pretty useless in those situations in general, but now it was a thousand times worse. Who knew that was possible?
But yeah. Not getting into it.
So what have I been up to this week? Um. Good question. New job is still going well, I’m definitely enjoying learning new stuff…although learning more stuff right about now would be a plus. The team is really nice too, which is always a bonus. Friday was pretty hilarious as we were all working away so we could leave early, resulting in some classic one liners.
I also managed to finish three books in a week and a half, so I’m pleased with myself. It’s been so long since I’ve just read. It amuses me that one of the books (High Fidelity) actually dates back to January – I bought it in Paris when we first started our trip. But then I was of course sucked into reading A Song of Ice and Fire so it was forgotten. Lugged all over Europe, but forgotten. It’s so similar to the movie though, dialogue is virtually identical. One of my uni tutors once remarked that Nick Hornby didn’t write novels, he wrote screenplays. You can see where he got that idea from. The other two books I read was for book club - I’ll save my discussion for that. One of them is Fifty Shades of Grey so it'll no doubt be lively o_O
What else? I am terribly disappointed I missed the All Blacks game yesterday. I wandered down to my local pub to watch a replay of the Australia v Wales match, hoping they’d play the AB game afterwards but no, it was not to be. See, I would go to see it live but since it’s in 8.30 in the damn morning, it’s kinda hard to find a pub that’s open. I should just trek out to the Walkabout but…but…but. So. Yeah. I suppose I should be glad that it’s almost Tri Nations (Four Nations? What is it called now?) time, at least when they play in South Africa it’s a reasonable time here.
Other than that, I’ve spent this weekend watching movies. I feel like I watch a lot of movies lately. Since last Sunday, I’ve watched Rock of Ages (soooo much fun), Fast Five, The Muppets, Ratatouille, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (so good, I don’t understand how people think it’s boring), War Horse (despite my better ‘this is going to be so emotionally manipulative’ judgement), and Breaking Dawn Pt 1 (skeletal Bella is kinda terrifying.) I’m also still working my way through Homeland (oh, Damien Lewis, you are so amazing) and trying to finish off Merlin season 4 – that’s taking a while mostly cause I’m lazy and they’re just recycling the same story tropes which is a bit frustrating, but the show still has some desperately awesome adorkable moments so I’m trying to persevere.
And…yeah. That’s about it. My friend A was in town on Monday so we had dinner and I did one of those blitz tours – I’m getting quite good at those. It amazes me that since I’ve been here, I’ve had four sets of friends visiting. The world’s really quite a small place. But sadly she was the last of the planned visits. When I was first organising this year away business, there was talk of my parents dropping by in June/July but that’s obviously not going to happen now.
I have to do some writing today but I’m going to have to build up to it slowly, I think. Bit of a headache. Bit of an extreme laziness. Might watch another film first…
Music: I love rock n roll - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
Showing posts with label twilight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label twilight. Show all posts
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Your freedom comes naturally
Just a quick one from my lunchtime reading.
MSNBC are running an article on *sigh* Twilight, more specifically 'Is Twilight altering teen minds?' You can read it here. It begins with the obvious in my opinion -
MSNBC are running an article on *sigh* Twilight, more specifically 'Is Twilight altering teen minds?' You can read it here. It begins with the obvious in my opinion -
"We don't know exactly how literature affects the brain, but we know that it does," said Maria Nikolajeva, a Cambridge University professor of literature. "Some new findings have identified spots in the brain that respond to literature and art."
I think we're all aware that literature and art affects the brain. This is hardly a revolutionary development. I take issue with the following however, not because I like Twilight (which I do), but as a writer. First we have the predictable 'Bella is a bad role model' spiel -
"If you look very, very clearly at what kind of values the 'Twilight' books propagate, these are very conservative values that do not in any way endorse independent thinking or personal development or a woman's position as an independent creature," Nikolajeva said. "That's quite depressing."
And then it's followed up with -
Nikolajeva argued that authors have a moral responsibility to include some positivity and hope in works aimed at teens.
"If young people read books where there is no hope at all, it's really damaging," she said. "We need to be aware of young people's being influenced by what they read or watch, the games they play. It all plays a very important role."
Excuse me, what? Authors have a moral responsibility? I was under the impression authors were allowed to write stories, not merely fables. I don't agree with this at all. I think the only responsibility authors have is to be truthful. That truth might be different depending on the story sure, but it's not an author's job to police society and neither should it be. If kids prefer darker things, maybe it's simply because they recognise that reality as closer to their own, and relate more to it.
It really annoys me that in modern society we're so obsessed with the morals of things and constantly targeting outside influences such as films and video games, when frankly their function is not necessarily to teach. Hey parents, how about teaching your kids about life yourselves for a change, instead of expecting books and TV to do it all for you? Just a suggestion. I'm not denying that these things can exert influence, they can and lots of it, I just don't think it's black and white enough to be able to cast moral responsibilities, or in fact claim the right to do so.
And yes, I know some books do have morals, and of course it can be helpful if your reader can go on a journey along with your protagonist and hopefully learn something, but the idea that it's somehow a responsibility to be positive is ludicrous. Especially when you're a teenager. Who wants positive stuff when they're a teenager? I mean come on, teenagers are emo. During my later adolescence, R and I went through a phase where the only films we watched were of a tone that seemed to consistently require blue lighting. That's what being a teenager is.
Plus, I don't think Twilight is a series that lacks positivity or hope. In fact one of the things I liked about Breaking Dawn was how it ended completely on a positive note. Metaphorically, it was the sun coming out on a cloudy day (note: cloudy day, not thunderstorm, because as we all know sadly nothing happens in that book - and by nothing I mean the epic battle that we were due. Oh so due.) So you know, I don't know if you could necessarily accuse Stephenie Meyer of perpetuating hopelessness.
As I've mentioned before, I don't think Bella is the bad role model she's made out to be. I can only restate my belief that it's a dissonance between the books and the films that have caused this issue in the first place.
While I'm on this topic, I'd like to say I'm quite tired of people knocking Twilight in general. I get it, you know? It's crap, teenage girls are stupid, Meyer can't write, the concept is silly and offends horror sensibilities, and Buffy would have staked Edward ages ago. It's been a few years now, it's done. I just don't have it in me to laugh anymore. Sorry.
Now I shall end on one of my favourite quotes. It probably muddles everything, but that's just the way I roll -
What came first, the music or the misery? People worry about kids playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture of violence will take them over. Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery and loss. Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?
From High Fidelity, based on the novel of the same name by Nick Hornby. Hornby, incidentally, is my go-to-guy for all things regarding the relationship between books/music/pop culture and personal identity. Now, back to work.
Music: Bliss - Muse
Mood: Busy
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Wait a minute, this sounds like Science and or Fiction
This is great. The result of the Top 200 SFX character polls, celebrating the 200th issue of SFX.
Here’s the top 3 of every category, followed by my two cents cause I’m geeky like that.
Here’s the top 3 of every category, followed by my two cents cause I’m geeky like that.
> Favourite Robots & Androids
1. R2D2 (Star Wars)
2. Data (Star Trek: Next Gen)
3. Bender (Futurama)
Everyone loves R2D2, or as C3PO would say the “overweight glob of grease” or “near-sighted scrap pile”. Speaking of R2’s counterpart, he comes in at number 12. No one likes a whinger, C3PO. The Terminator is “back” in 8 (haha see what I did there...never mind) while he of the pointless soliloquy, Optimus Prime, is 9th. I love that KITT is on the list – I used to think KITT was the coolest. It’s one of those things I’d have thought would just fade away into obscurity, but no, clearly talking cars still have it.
> Favourite Monsters, Supernatural Beings & Fantasy Creatures
1. Daleks (Doctor Who)
2. Lorne (Angel)
3. Aliens (um, Alien)
Honourable mention to Gollum, who came in fifth. Yay LOTR. Also Ludo from Labyrinth in 15, and ‘The Great Dragon’ from Merlin in 18...that poor dragon, if he could facepalm I’m sure he would.
> Favourite Superheroes & Comic-Book Characters
1. Batman
2. Wolverine
3. Spider-Man
How does Mr. Whiny Boredom Pants (aka Spider-Man) manage to get to third beating out both Death and Morpheus (6 and 8 respectively) from The Sandman, and Iron Man (10th)? I mean really, Iron Man! Peter should hit Tony up for some personality, and then maybe I’d give him a break.
> Favourite Alien
1. Spock (Star Trek)
2. Yoda (Star Wars)
3. Zaphod Beeblebrox (The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy)
The Star Trek franchise pretty much owns this category, 5 on the list, with Babylon 5 coming in with 4.
> Favourite Sages, Mentors and Boffins
1. Rupert Giles (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)
2. Topher Brink (Dollhouse)
3. Gandalf (Lord of the Rings)
This one’s pretty great actually. Obi Wan at 4, Walter from Fringe at 5; Back to the Future’s Doc Brown comes in at 8 followed by Dumbledore. Sirius Black is at 11, which should please Miss L, and adorably Alfred from Batman takes out 14. I’m slightly perplexed why Uther is in 16 – shouldn’t it be Gaius? I mean all Uther does is shriek “Magicz! Kill it!” (see also: Dom’s Merlin post of WIN)
> Favourite Villains
1. The Master (Doctor Who)
2. Darth Vader (Star Wars)
3. The Joker (Batman)
No surprises here. The pic included is sadly not of John Simm’s Master, but what can you do? Davros and Voldemort come in at 5 and 6, while that idiotic Sylar from Heroes is in 7th. I find it amusing that Jareth from Labyrinth is in 10th, I guess with all that singing and prancing about, he just didn’t strike me as that villainous (I so love that movie.)
> Favourite Anti-Heroes, Accidental Good Guys and Dodgy Do-Gooders
1. Dr Horrible (Dr Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog)
2. Jayne Cobb (Firefly)
3. Captain John Hart (Torchwood)
I love the title of this section so, so much. Dodgy Do-Gooders! Win. And the top three freaking rules. Yes, freaking, I’m a nineties skater kid. Also, if you haven’t seen Dr. Horrible, you really should, it is made of win – I’ll give you the equation: Joss Whedon + Neil Patrick Harris + Nathan Fillion = Awesome. Snape takes out fourth *huggles* and Life on Mars’ Gene Hunt comes in at 5. These are all pretty cool really, as anti-heroes inevitably are.
> Favourite Vampires
1. Dracula
2. Spike (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)
3. Angel (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)
You can tell these are proper sci-fi voters cause Edward Cullen is only 14th, haha. I think Spike is my favourite vampire (Angel rather gets on my nerves sometimes), and I quite like Mitchell from Being Human – he came in fourth. Drusilla is 5th with Eric from True Blood in 6th – interestingly enough Bill only makes it in at 18. One of my other faves, Lestat, is 11th – kept out of the top 10 by Mick from Moonlight, Selene from Underworld, Buffy’s Darla and Count Duckula. I think he deserves to be above the last two at least! Blade’s in 17th and the only other Cullen clan member to make the list is – dun dun dun – Jasper! Excellent *steeples fingers*
> Favourite Hero
1. The Doctor (Doctor Who)
2. Malcolm ‘Mal’ Reynolds (Firefly)
3. Dean Winchester (Supernatural)
Drinks all round! The Doctor is, of course, the ultimate. They’re all brilliant characters and not only fun, but also engaging to watch. I’d like to point out that everyone’s favourite dearly departed fictional welsh boyfriend, one Ianto Jones, made it in 5th – beating out Han Solo, Indiana Jones Wesley from Angel & Buffy, and Captain Jack Harkness. Hahaha, they’re not going to like that (childish, I know, forgive me.)
> Favourite Heroine
1. Sarah Conner (Terminator franchise)
2. Buffy Summers (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)
3. River Tam (Firefly)
I adore River so much – so completely crazy, so completely kick-ass. Representing the Whoniverse, we have Donna, Rose and Sarah Jane in 4, 8, and 10. For the Whedonverse, there’s Willow, Faith and Kaylee in 9, 15 and 16. I love that Emma Peel makes the list at 11 (I must get The Avengers box set!), and Starbuck from Battlestar is in 13. I’d totally have put in Martha, as I've mentioned before I feel she is greatly overlooked ninety nine percent of the time.
That rounds off the list. You can still get involved in the whole thing – vote for The Ultimate Best SF or Fantasy Character Ever, consisting of the winners of each category, here. Be geeky, you know you want to.
Music: Help - The Beatles
Mood: Relaxed
Thursday, July 22, 2010
The hardest part is letting go of your dreams
There is so much I’ve been meaning to blog about, I just can’t seem to find the time. If I don’t sit down with my laptop straight away coming home from work, I just don’t do anything. It’s highly disconcerting considering I have quite a bit that needs to be done – and it will no doubt be an even bigger problem when I go back to uni in two weeks. Besides, I just miss rambling about nothing every day. Stupid "real life."
Things I intended to blog about:
> DVDs I've watched recently including Adam, Milk, and The Brothers Bloom.
Conclusion: Might want to consider more cheerful things. Adam was so painful, I could barely watch it. Brilliant, but painful. I quite liked The Brothers Bloom but I suspect it may be one of those films that no one else does.
> The girl with the dragon tattoo which I finished on the weekend.
I had my doubts starting this but there comes a point about halfway where it just starts working. It’s been aaaages since I’ve spent an entire afternoon just devouring pages like that at my own prerogative (ie not for uni) and I’ve forgotten how great that feels. Reading love. I was really enjoying the unconventional heroine too until the last chapter.
> Fourth season of Torchwood
Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello had the following to say about new characters:
> The Doctor Who finale
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Yup. That pretty much sums it up. You know, there might be a paper in running RTD and Moffat against each other – provided there isn’t one already (probably is, geeks are quick on the uptake and not as lazy as I am)
> Eclipse
My brain has either given up completely or the acting is getting better. It was surprisingly rather enjoyable. R and I were of course laughing in bits that weren’t meant to be funny, but somehow that’s become part of Twilight’s appeal. You go in knowing it’s not going to be cinematic genius and somehow that makes it ok. And this one actually has action (it’s in the talking scenes that this franchise truly falls apart) which is definitely a plus – especially since that action involves a lot of Jasper. I always liked Jasper and knowing he had a bigger role this time was definitely part of the reason I actually wanted to see Eclipse. Screw Edward and Jacob, Team Jasper ALL THE WAY. R and I still had a muttered running conversation for the duration of the film about Jacob and Edward. She’s very much pro-Jacob, and I – well, I have serious issues. My loathing for Cedric’s Edward is matched equally to my loathing of book-Jacob. I want to be pro-Edward, but my instinct is to mock Cedric, and I like movie-Jacob, but my instinct there is to run the character over. So I am sure you can imagine my dilemma.
Things that have happened:
> Dented another heart
> Visited the radio studio across the road
> Window shopped for costumes
> Applied for a press pass to world con
> Bought another pair of boots
Things I’m contemplating:
> The logistics of going away for a year
> The huge amount of work I’ve been slacking off on - this includes not doing any writing for myself lately, including blogging, and an essay I was supposed to submit a month ago.
> The giant hole in my budget caused by things such as unforeseen insurance premiums and ginormous roaming-inflated phone bills.
> Buffy season 3 - will it get less angsty, and how long do I have to wait for Spike to show up again?
> The glitch in the uni system that’s telling me I’ve failed a subject, which is highly improbable. I missed one class and got marked for all the assignments, so clearly someone screwed up somewhere along the line.
> The validity of buying a bustle skirt. This ties in with the previously mentioned costume window-shopping. Bustle dresses are too stupidly expensive to buy outright and I can’t justify having an eight hundred dollar dress sitting in my wardrobe for the occasional outing on halloween/fancy dress parties. It’s not exactly the right fit for a masquerade either, and that is generally where my "I must attend!" instincts go (and in my costume searchings I have found that there is a group that actually holds proper masquerade balls quite regularly). There is a masquerade ball at WorldCon in fact, so I’d like to get something that would do for both that and Halloween. Now I tried briefly to convince Em to make it for me – she wisely declined – and then thought hey, why not improvise? I have a dress I like to refer to as the Panic dress as I bought it with the then still vaudevillian Panic! At The Disco in mind. It is red with black lace overlay, tulle underskirt, and a corse-style top. I can get a red bustle to attach to it, make a matching long taffeta skirt to go underneath, and logically that should give me a layered, not quite historically accurate, bustle dress. Teamed with this red and black venetian mask I found on trusty eBay, gloves and fan I already own, and a Victorian velvet jacket, it should be a reasonable costume, right? Price wise, It should work out roughly the same as hiring a costume for a weekend would, and significantly less than actually getting a proper dress. Hmmm.
I have other things floating around this silly brain but sadly work beckons - but I'll be back to ramble some more later, never fear. Take a look at this in the meantime:
The Seven Stages of Grieving After Purchasing a Full-Price Hardcover Book You Later Find To Be Awful
A drink for the horror that I'm in
For the good guys, and the bad guys
For the monsters that I've been.
Three cheers for tyranny,
Unapologetic apathy
Cause there ain't no way I'm coming back again.
Best thing about Thursdays is being alone in the office and being able to give the trusty ipod free reign.
Music: Sleep - My Chemical Romance
Mood: Blah
Things I intended to blog about:
> DVDs I've watched recently including Adam, Milk, and The Brothers Bloom.
Conclusion: Might want to consider more cheerful things. Adam was so painful, I could barely watch it. Brilliant, but painful. I quite liked The Brothers Bloom but I suspect it may be one of those films that no one else does.
> The girl with the dragon tattoo which I finished on the weekend.
I had my doubts starting this but there comes a point about halfway where it just starts working. It’s been aaaages since I’ve spent an entire afternoon just devouring pages like that at my own prerogative (ie not for uni) and I’ve forgotten how great that feels. Reading love. I was really enjoying the unconventional heroine too until the last chapter.
> Fourth season of Torchwood
Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello had the following to say about new characters:
I’ve gathered on the new season (airing on my new favorite cable network,Call me unprogressive if you like, but where’s the sci-fi? This just sounds like James Moran’s Girl Number 9. I don’t want high drama or the X files, I just want my cheesy show back, is that really so much to ask for? Normally I’d say give them the benefit of the doubt, but I frankly don’t see why I should.
Starz), the show is out to cast a new series regular — Rex Matheson, a wickedly
funny (operative word: wicked) CIA agent born to make waves. Almost as key to
the new season are recurring characters Esther Katusi, a CIA grunt in her early
20s who learns what she’s really made of only when she’s forced to, and Oswald
Jones, a convicted murderer and pedophile who will be as shocked as anyone to
learn how easily infamy and fame can be exchanged for one another.
> The Doctor Who finale
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Yup. That pretty much sums it up. You know, there might be a paper in running RTD and Moffat against each other – provided there isn’t one already (probably is, geeks are quick on the uptake and not as lazy as I am)
> Eclipse
My brain has either given up completely or the acting is getting better. It was surprisingly rather enjoyable. R and I were of course laughing in bits that weren’t meant to be funny, but somehow that’s become part of Twilight’s appeal. You go in knowing it’s not going to be cinematic genius and somehow that makes it ok. And this one actually has action (it’s in the talking scenes that this franchise truly falls apart) which is definitely a plus – especially since that action involves a lot of Jasper. I always liked Jasper and knowing he had a bigger role this time was definitely part of the reason I actually wanted to see Eclipse. Screw Edward and Jacob, Team Jasper ALL THE WAY. R and I still had a muttered running conversation for the duration of the film about Jacob and Edward. She’s very much pro-Jacob, and I – well, I have serious issues. My loathing for Cedric’s Edward is matched equally to my loathing of book-Jacob. I want to be pro-Edward, but my instinct is to mock Cedric, and I like movie-Jacob, but my instinct there is to run the character over. So I am sure you can imagine my dilemma.
Things that have happened:
> Dented another heart
> Visited the radio studio across the road
> Window shopped for costumes
> Applied for a press pass to world con
> Bought another pair of boots
Things I’m contemplating:
> The logistics of going away for a year
> The huge amount of work I’ve been slacking off on - this includes not doing any writing for myself lately, including blogging, and an essay I was supposed to submit a month ago.
> The giant hole in my budget caused by things such as unforeseen insurance premiums and ginormous roaming-inflated phone bills.
> Buffy season 3 - will it get less angsty, and how long do I have to wait for Spike to show up again?
> The glitch in the uni system that’s telling me I’ve failed a subject, which is highly improbable. I missed one class and got marked for all the assignments, so clearly someone screwed up somewhere along the line.
> The validity of buying a bustle skirt. This ties in with the previously mentioned costume window-shopping. Bustle dresses are too stupidly expensive to buy outright and I can’t justify having an eight hundred dollar dress sitting in my wardrobe for the occasional outing on halloween/fancy dress parties. It’s not exactly the right fit for a masquerade either, and that is generally where my "I must attend!" instincts go (and in my costume searchings I have found that there is a group that actually holds proper masquerade balls quite regularly). There is a masquerade ball at WorldCon in fact, so I’d like to get something that would do for both that and Halloween. Now I tried briefly to convince Em to make it for me – she wisely declined – and then thought hey, why not improvise? I have a dress I like to refer to as the Panic dress as I bought it with the then still vaudevillian Panic! At The Disco in mind. It is red with black lace overlay, tulle underskirt, and a corse-style top. I can get a red bustle to attach to it, make a matching long taffeta skirt to go underneath, and logically that should give me a layered, not quite historically accurate, bustle dress. Teamed with this red and black venetian mask I found on trusty eBay, gloves and fan I already own, and a Victorian velvet jacket, it should be a reasonable costume, right? Price wise, It should work out roughly the same as hiring a costume for a weekend would, and significantly less than actually getting a proper dress. Hmmm.
I have other things floating around this silly brain but sadly work beckons - but I'll be back to ramble some more later, never fear. Take a look at this in the meantime:
The Seven Stages of Grieving After Purchasing a Full-Price Hardcover Book You Later Find To Be Awful
A drink for the horror that I'm in
For the good guys, and the bad guys
For the monsters that I've been.
Three cheers for tyranny,
Unapologetic apathy
Cause there ain't no way I'm coming back again.
Best thing about Thursdays is being alone in the office and being able to give the trusty ipod free reign.
Music: Sleep - My Chemical Romance
Mood: Blah
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
I see a bad moon rising
The key to really enjoying a film is to go into it with absolutely no expectations and with a good sense of humour (because ok maybe you have the expectation that it is going to suck, whatever). Last night I saw New Moon with Em and her boyfriend, who was by far more into it than either of us. Really, his enthusiasm is adorable. For those who live under a rock, it is the second film of four based on the immensely popular Twilight novels written by Stephenie Meyer, and is all about vampires and werewolves but without the pesky constraints of horror convention and tradition.
Amazingly enough, I actually enjoyed this movie. In my opinion, it was much better than the first one. This is probably in no small part due to the fact that Cedric is barely in it. Minimal stuttered dialogue and lack of chemistry topped with pained facial expressions mean less eye-rolling for me. Yay! Taylor Lautner, who of course plays Jacob Black, surprised me by out-acting virtually everyone. He is the most natural and most believable of the lot of them. Save perhaps Alice, who is adorable. Jasper has maybe all of two lines and still stands around like he's been caught in headlights, but it's Jasper so who cares - plus I loved his final line. The Laurent scene in the meadow was comic relief, though I doubt that was intended. He said something that sent me into a fit of giggles but I cannot for the life of me remember what it was. Nobody else really warrants any attention...oh except that Mike character, man he's annoying. I mean he was annoying in the books, but he's just moron level of annoying now. Oh, I also realised Em and I totally have a thing for Carlisle though. Every time he came on screen (which is not nearly often enough) we'd both just sigh happily.
I know Lizzie for one will disagree with me here, but I actually love the Volturi. They have an edge of creepiness that's generally lacking in this franchise. I thought they captured the vibe I got from them in the books perfectly, with the other two being alternately deathly bored and unamused, while Aro just runs around all gleefully. It's amusing. While he is not a reflection of my mental image of Aro, I think Michael Sheen did a great job with what little he had to work with. Also, Dakota Fanning as Jane is just perfect. I would love to see more of them, especially her "brother" Alec...for no other reason other than he's adorable. So if we could have him, Jasper and Carlisle in the back of every scene, I will stop complaining about how much Cedric is ruining everything.
Seriously, not once while reading the books did I ever think "Man I wish someone would take out Edward." Jake yes, Bella yes, never Edward. But watching the films I catch myself thinking that quite often. That's why I shall forever refer to him as Cedric, for he is not, nor shall he ever be, anything remotely close to the Edward in my head. Ugh why couldn't we have had Tom Sturridge or Gaspard Ulliel or something? I'm sure there's an unknown actor out there that would have done a great job much like Taylor. I am sorry that I keep picking on the guy, really I am. In the back of my head I know that I should give him a break...but I just can't seem to help myself.
But I digress. The point is, I did not loathe this and I may even watch it again when it comes out on DVD - something I certainly never felt like doing with the first one. So yes, by all means go see it and bring your own opinion on the hype. Just don't expect anything and it'll be fine.
Meanwhile, I've started watching The Avengers and I love it way more than I really should. It's on at 1am on Fridays and it just cracks me up.
Music: Resistance - Muse
Mood: Sleepy
Amazingly enough, I actually enjoyed this movie. In my opinion, it was much better than the first one. This is probably in no small part due to the fact that Cedric is barely in it. Minimal stuttered dialogue and lack of chemistry topped with pained facial expressions mean less eye-rolling for me. Yay! Taylor Lautner, who of course plays Jacob Black, surprised me by out-acting virtually everyone. He is the most natural and most believable of the lot of them. Save perhaps Alice, who is adorable. Jasper has maybe all of two lines and still stands around like he's been caught in headlights, but it's Jasper so who cares - plus I loved his final line. The Laurent scene in the meadow was comic relief, though I doubt that was intended. He said something that sent me into a fit of giggles but I cannot for the life of me remember what it was. Nobody else really warrants any attention...oh except that Mike character, man he's annoying. I mean he was annoying in the books, but he's just moron level of annoying now. Oh, I also realised Em and I totally have a thing for Carlisle though. Every time he came on screen (which is not nearly often enough) we'd both just sigh happily.
I know Lizzie for one will disagree with me here, but I actually love the Volturi. They have an edge of creepiness that's generally lacking in this franchise. I thought they captured the vibe I got from them in the books perfectly, with the other two being alternately deathly bored and unamused, while Aro just runs around all gleefully. It's amusing. While he is not a reflection of my mental image of Aro, I think Michael Sheen did a great job with what little he had to work with. Also, Dakota Fanning as Jane is just perfect. I would love to see more of them, especially her "brother" Alec...for no other reason other than he's adorable. So if we could have him, Jasper and Carlisle in the back of every scene, I will stop complaining about how much Cedric is ruining everything.
Seriously, not once while reading the books did I ever think "Man I wish someone would take out Edward." Jake yes, Bella yes, never Edward. But watching the films I catch myself thinking that quite often. That's why I shall forever refer to him as Cedric, for he is not, nor shall he ever be, anything remotely close to the Edward in my head. Ugh why couldn't we have had Tom Sturridge or Gaspard Ulliel or something? I'm sure there's an unknown actor out there that would have done a great job much like Taylor. I am sorry that I keep picking on the guy, really I am. In the back of my head I know that I should give him a break...but I just can't seem to help myself.
But I digress. The point is, I did not loathe this and I may even watch it again when it comes out on DVD - something I certainly never felt like doing with the first one. So yes, by all means go see it and bring your own opinion on the hype. Just don't expect anything and it'll be fine.
Meanwhile, I've started watching The Avengers and I love it way more than I really should. It's on at 1am on Fridays and it just cracks me up.
Music: Resistance - Muse
Mood: Sleepy
Saturday, November 21, 2009
I'm not one for lovesongs
Just saw the teaser from the next Doctor Who special. Epic glee. I seriously should not experience such joy at the return of my favourite lunatic, especially not when it promises Ten's demise, but I can't help it. I just love John Simm's Master and cannot wait to see what new madness he will bring with him this time.
In unrelated news, stumbled upon this on the movie blog I read:
Summit Entertainment announced today that "New Moon" completely trounced midnight opening records by "Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince" ($22.2 million) and "The Dark Knight" (previous record holder with $18.5 million) by taking in a whopping $26.27 million in midnight screenings from 3,514 theaters last night. Predictions for box-office receipts this weekend are ranging in the $90-$100 million range which is outrageously good numbers if they can hit those targets and pretty good indication that no matter how much critics and many adults hate "Twilight" it is here to stay.
Wait, whaaaat? How did it do better than The Dark Knight? I mean come on, seriously? And alright, I haven't seen it yet but I will at some point provided someone is going with me since I can't very well go by myself, but my expectations are about as low as they were for the second Transformers movie. Just the thought that it is put in the same frame of reference as the Dark Knight is a bit laughable really. I mean hell, that had Christian Bale (who I'd back against Cedric any day) and a brilliant performance by Heath Ledger. There was excellent cinematography, dramedy, explosions, a great score, facial expression...aaaah I am so petty, I'll stop. The New Moon reviews have been less than promising. I'm always a bit sceptical when it comes to this because often reviewers will just hate something because they expect they should hate it. It's not really about the actual output at all. The whole Twilight franchise gets so much crap, people just mock if because that's the expected thing. That said, I've heard a couple of fans saying that it isn't as good as the first one. Now in my humble opinion the first one was rather ridiculous, so I'm concerned where we can go from there.
This is from another review:
We're the first to admit that we're not the target audience for "New Moon" (you know, because we have taste and aren't swooning teenage girls). But there's playing to your base, and there's making a bad film, and this is more a case of the latter. Even teenage girls (who have previously been responsible for the success of Hanson and "Saved by the Bell") are too smart for this movie. And if they're not, we're in trouble as a species.
Promising, isn't it? I really don't understand why these movies aren't better. I don't know if it's the casting, the direction, the script or just a basic problem with the source material. So the books aren't exactly prize winning literature, but they still had a spark about them that made it readable and enjoyable enough to spawn such a rabid fanbase, and that is clearly not translating. It probably has something to do with the books having a heavy internal reflection going on that can't really be carried into film. I have half a mind to try and script them myself just to see if it can be done properly.
Yes, that is delusions of grandeur you sensed in that last line. Studying a semester of screenwriting and watching Adaptation does not qualify such throw-away lines. But hey, I may be bored sometime, you never know.
In unrelated news, stumbled upon this on the movie blog I read:
Summit Entertainment announced today that "New Moon" completely trounced midnight opening records by "Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince" ($22.2 million) and "The Dark Knight" (previous record holder with $18.5 million) by taking in a whopping $26.27 million in midnight screenings from 3,514 theaters last night. Predictions for box-office receipts this weekend are ranging in the $90-$100 million range which is outrageously good numbers if they can hit those targets and pretty good indication that no matter how much critics and many adults hate "Twilight" it is here to stay.
Wait, whaaaat? How did it do better than The Dark Knight? I mean come on, seriously? And alright, I haven't seen it yet but I will at some point provided someone is going with me since I can't very well go by myself, but my expectations are about as low as they were for the second Transformers movie. Just the thought that it is put in the same frame of reference as the Dark Knight is a bit laughable really. I mean hell, that had Christian Bale (who I'd back against Cedric any day) and a brilliant performance by Heath Ledger. There was excellent cinematography, dramedy, explosions, a great score, facial expression...aaaah I am so petty, I'll stop. The New Moon reviews have been less than promising. I'm always a bit sceptical when it comes to this because often reviewers will just hate something because they expect they should hate it. It's not really about the actual output at all. The whole Twilight franchise gets so much crap, people just mock if because that's the expected thing. That said, I've heard a couple of fans saying that it isn't as good as the first one. Now in my humble opinion the first one was rather ridiculous, so I'm concerned where we can go from there.
This is from another review:
We're the first to admit that we're not the target audience for "New Moon" (you know, because we have taste and aren't swooning teenage girls). But there's playing to your base, and there's making a bad film, and this is more a case of the latter. Even teenage girls (who have previously been responsible for the success of Hanson and "Saved by the Bell") are too smart for this movie. And if they're not, we're in trouble as a species.
Promising, isn't it? I really don't understand why these movies aren't better. I don't know if it's the casting, the direction, the script or just a basic problem with the source material. So the books aren't exactly prize winning literature, but they still had a spark about them that made it readable and enjoyable enough to spawn such a rabid fanbase, and that is clearly not translating. It probably has something to do with the books having a heavy internal reflection going on that can't really be carried into film. I have half a mind to try and script them myself just to see if it can be done properly.
Yes, that is delusions of grandeur you sensed in that last line. Studying a semester of screenwriting and watching Adaptation does not qualify such throw-away lines. But hey, I may be bored sometime, you never know.
Anyway, I'm revelling in the breeze and my freedom from the evils of air-conditioning. It makes me feel so sick, it's insane. Meanwhile, they're predicting 49 degrees for the inner west tomorrow. Beach, yes/yes?
Music: The world has its shine - Cobra Starship
Mood: Lazy
Sunday, November 15, 2009
The people I've met are the wonders of my world
I want to blog but at the same time I don't. I don't know. I feel a bit like that in general, want to do things but don't. The lack of messenger has just generally made me less likely to get on the computer and stay there all day. But I'm here now so might as well give it a shot. It may even drum up some enthusiasm for actual writing.
Right, first things first, cocktails on Friday were quite enjoyable. Em and R were both working, so I met them at R's place and hung about scaring customers and flailing over my bag...well ok so the latter was me. But yay! Bag! Not to mention the bag is a celebrity in its own right haha. We headed off to dinner at what is fast becoming "our" restaurant. It was as always perfectly lovely. We were just finishing up when Lizzie arrived at Kuletos so we headed up there. We immediately started in on the cocktails, we were celebrating the end of the semester even if we were broke, tired, sore and with no real way to get home dammit! It was good fun. We didn't have quite the turnout we had anticipated since another party had come up, but whatever, we still enjoyed ourselves. I headed off a bit earlier than I would have liked but with the parentals being away, I didn't want to drunkenly try and traipse home after midnight. Curse the lack of public transport near here. But yes, the conclusion is as always: Kamikazes FTW.
Yesterday didn't even put up a pretence of being a day worth acknowledging. I literally spent it watching television, and mostly Nevermind the Buzzcocks at that. I had only ever seen a few random eps that I'd youtube at Abs suggestion, so when I came across 4 seasons worth of it, I decided it was worth perusing. I'm up to the last season I have now, about 8 eps left or something, I don't know. All I do know is that you know you've been watching too much consecutive buzzcocks that when Lee Ryan does actually show up you start laughing the second they just say his name. I also watched Goldfinger which is not nearly as good as I remember it being. Hm.
Meanwhile, my neighbours and the bugs had a conspiracy going to see who could freak me out the most. Seriously, so many weird noises, it's ridiculous. My neighbours have been particularly noisy this weekend, I don't know what they're doing but I really wish they'd stop. Ugh.
I made a point to be more productive today, so I've cleaned the house and I might give Oreo a bath after I have lunch in a second. Then I suppose I should do some more writing. It's not that I don't have ideas to write, once I get going I'm pretty much set, it's just sitting down behind my laptop is really not appealing at the moment. I just don't...want to be here. I feel like I'm missing out on things, completely mundane things it's true like lying in the sun or watching Oreo chase lizards, but I suppose after being trapped inside for virtually the entire year thanks to research and academic nonsense, the thought that I should do this willingly seems preposterous.
It must be said though, my NaNoWriMo novel is fraught with so many technical problems, it's enough to make you weep. It has such an identity crisis, it doesn't know if it's coming or going. There are so many different elements at play in a future that is both progressive yet traditional. There are far too many characters, one-time namedrops that make me feel like I am trying to keep track of the cast of Anna Karenina (but at least their names don't all sound the same which is a luxury Tolstoy never afforded anyone). The tenses are a tangled ball of past and present, and my third-person narrator cannot decided whether it is omniscient or not. Perhaps it is being purposefully obtuse.
What is a bit more worrying at the moment is that I'm set to start Chapter 7 next and nothing has really happened. I'm also almost a third of the way done. I was aiming for about 30 - 35 chapters, but at this rate I'm bound to hit 50,000 at Chapter 20. Why am I making more work for myself?
During all this, I can't help thinking about the Reel challenge. I have bits and pieces written down for that as well, but upon re-watching Goldfinger last night I realised I remembered it a bit differently than it went down. I also want to re-read the book before I actually get to writing it...and it's due the 14th of December. Mum and I may be going away the first weekend of December though, so I'm hoping to finish it all off that weekend. Beach cabin FTW.
It's actually funny to think about it all being done. Cause beyond that there's...well, nothing. I don;t know what I'll do when I get to that point. I have kind of gotten used to having some or other impossible deadline hanging over my head this year.
Rocks fall, everybody dies.
The only other thing I have to say is how tired I am of hearing about New Moon and it's not even out yet. Four separate pieces on it in the Telegraph today. Four. It's not only the fact that I just generally don't like the film franchise (based on the first, I concede I don't know this one will be atrocious, I am just assuming it from the lack of facial expressions), but I just feel that the entire thing is being misconstrued. Mostly I think the way people are interpreting the books are a direct result of the movie(s) which in itself did not do an adequate job of conveying the magic of the books. I do not know what that magic is, it baffles me as much as anyone, but I am not going to deny that there is definitely something about them. I devoured them with a fervour that can possibly only be explained by crack being laced in the pages. Who knows. It doesn't matter anyway. Fair enough, the fans are annoying, most fans of things are annoying. Come footy season, I find the nutters harping on about it just as annoying. I know I myself am no walk in the park when it comes to my ceaseless Doctor Who this and Torchwood that, but at least my fandom doesn't seemingly encompass the entire world and feature on every website, paper, and magazine. Still, I try to be forgiving as everyone is entitled to their fandoms. This was in the telegraph today:
"Basically, the (Twilight) books, especially the fourth, detail a textbook abusive relationship," Hamley said. / Editor Abigail Nathan of Bothersome Words enjoyed the books but has her concerns. "Adults are frequently disturbed by the nature of Bella and Edward's relationship, describing Edward as a stalker and Bella as a victim," she said. "There's an interesting selection of messages, with Bella constantly pushing Edward to sleep with her, and ultimately ending up bruised and battered." / Fantasy author Glenda Lake is also concerned with the way Bella never finds strength within herself and must, indeed, always be saved by Edward. "It harks back to a different age," she said. "Women my age had to fight to escape that kind of thinking." / "To present a heroine who never stands on her own two feet is to present a ghastly role model for today's youth."
Really? I am the first person to bitch about the general shittiness of female protagonists in literature - an undertone anyone who saw my short-lived I-hate-the-world post on Sunday will no doubt recognize - but much like the outrage after Breaking Dawn declaring it to be anti-choice, I just don't see it. I think there is an intensity crafted in the books that is so realistic, that you never question the validity of the relationship because it's just...right. That parents think Edward is a stalker and Bella a victim is entirely due to film which failed epically to capture that intensity, and they are played very much like stalker/victim (something that may be remedied by actual facial expressions. Just saying.)
The whole thing is very much in the Romeo and Juliet mould. If Juliet didn't end up battered and bruised, it's because Romeo is not a vampire nor did he have vampire friends. If you mess with things that are out of your league, then you are going to get hurt. Does that make it an abusive relationship? I hardly think so. I also think it's unfair to say Bella always waits on him to rescue her. In the first novel for example, she makes the active decision to go to whathisname to save her mother. It's a trap and ok yes, Edward does charge in and save her, but that's only fair since we're talking vampire/vampire death match. Bella isn't Buffy, she doesn't have slayer ass-kicking skills, but she never even pretends to be. So ok, moot point. Now this is just my interpretation of the whole thing, but I don't think Bella is a passive character. Cinderella is a passive character - everything happens to her, she doesn't actually do anything unless the decision is made for her. Bella makes her own decisions, they may seem small and inconsequential, but they are still very much moments where she exerts her own beliefs. I think the problem comes with Bella being more of a watcher, she's more introspective in watching and reacting to things which is often mistaken for inactivity. It is this quality that eventually dictates her "power" as a vampire, and saves the day I suppose. Cue trumpets.
Alright no, sarcasm aside, my point is I think they're being a bit harsh on the whole thing and as per usual, reading way too much into things. As a cultural studies student, I have had so many moments where I just wanted to scream "Can't a tree just be a tree?" because you know what, everyday people who look at a tree don't sit there and analyse the meaning of the tree or the significance of the place it's growing and how it is a metaphor for colonialisation or the presence of the Other. No, they just see a tree. Girls reading Twilight, they see a love-story. Not a dialogue on the Mormon church or a positive portrayal of abusive relationships or even the suppression of female will. Or are we seriously going to argue that people who are fans of Twilight are going to find themselves in abusive relationships and being forced into situations they don't actually want to be in because Bella is a bad role model? Not only do I not see anything in the books that could lead to such a thing (I'm sure you can find it if you wanted to, if there's one thing I've realised at uni it's that you can find anything in virtually everything), but it's just a classic case of shifting the blame yet again really, isn't it? Society has no accountability. It's so easy to blame school shootings on Marilyn Manson, and violence and crime on videogames. Yet we enforce stricter rules and regulations on these things and it makes no difference, the figures keep going up and we find something else to blame when the real problem is society's inability to take that blame upon itself and do something about it internally.
Although it is tempting, I'm not going to say "it's just a book." As the saying goes, the pen is mightier than the sword and for all intents and purposes, I'm quite firmly of the belief that words as vehicles for meaning are incredibly powerful. I also realise that when you are an obsessive fan of something it permeates your entire being and becomes a part of your life, so in that sense saying "it's just a book" can be quite hurtful and insulting. It's true that it can shape a person, and influence their beliefs and the way in which they view the world. But at the same time, this is teen fiction and a romance written by a first time author, and I think levelling the kind of cultural analysis upon the franchise the way many are doing is actually rather beside the point really. I do not for one second believe fangirls are going to end up meek and complacent in archaic female roles because hey, Edward Cullen or Jacob Black are not going to come along and sweep them off their feet. Real guys aren't like that and won't generate the same response. They know this, it's fantasy. Is that really so damaging?
I must digress now since I'm starving. I don't really know what the point of all this was. Ramble post ahoy!
Music: Hometown Glory - Adele
Mood: Meh
Right, first things first, cocktails on Friday were quite enjoyable. Em and R were both working, so I met them at R's place and hung about scaring customers and flailing over my bag...well ok so the latter was me. But yay! Bag! Not to mention the bag is a celebrity in its own right haha. We headed off to dinner at what is fast becoming "our" restaurant. It was as always perfectly lovely. We were just finishing up when Lizzie arrived at Kuletos so we headed up there. We immediately started in on the cocktails, we were celebrating the end of the semester even if we were broke, tired, sore and with no real way to get home dammit! It was good fun. We didn't have quite the turnout we had anticipated since another party had come up, but whatever, we still enjoyed ourselves. I headed off a bit earlier than I would have liked but with the parentals being away, I didn't want to drunkenly try and traipse home after midnight. Curse the lack of public transport near here. But yes, the conclusion is as always: Kamikazes FTW.
Yesterday didn't even put up a pretence of being a day worth acknowledging. I literally spent it watching television, and mostly Nevermind the Buzzcocks at that. I had only ever seen a few random eps that I'd youtube at Abs suggestion, so when I came across 4 seasons worth of it, I decided it was worth perusing. I'm up to the last season I have now, about 8 eps left or something, I don't know. All I do know is that you know you've been watching too much consecutive buzzcocks that when Lee Ryan does actually show up you start laughing the second they just say his name. I also watched Goldfinger which is not nearly as good as I remember it being. Hm.
Meanwhile, my neighbours and the bugs had a conspiracy going to see who could freak me out the most. Seriously, so many weird noises, it's ridiculous. My neighbours have been particularly noisy this weekend, I don't know what they're doing but I really wish they'd stop. Ugh.
I made a point to be more productive today, so I've cleaned the house and I might give Oreo a bath after I have lunch in a second. Then I suppose I should do some more writing. It's not that I don't have ideas to write, once I get going I'm pretty much set, it's just sitting down behind my laptop is really not appealing at the moment. I just don't...want to be here. I feel like I'm missing out on things, completely mundane things it's true like lying in the sun or watching Oreo chase lizards, but I suppose after being trapped inside for virtually the entire year thanks to research and academic nonsense, the thought that I should do this willingly seems preposterous.
It must be said though, my NaNoWriMo novel is fraught with so many technical problems, it's enough to make you weep. It has such an identity crisis, it doesn't know if it's coming or going. There are so many different elements at play in a future that is both progressive yet traditional. There are far too many characters, one-time namedrops that make me feel like I am trying to keep track of the cast of Anna Karenina (but at least their names don't all sound the same which is a luxury Tolstoy never afforded anyone). The tenses are a tangled ball of past and present, and my third-person narrator cannot decided whether it is omniscient or not. Perhaps it is being purposefully obtuse.
What is a bit more worrying at the moment is that I'm set to start Chapter 7 next and nothing has really happened. I'm also almost a third of the way done. I was aiming for about 30 - 35 chapters, but at this rate I'm bound to hit 50,000 at Chapter 20. Why am I making more work for myself?
During all this, I can't help thinking about the Reel challenge. I have bits and pieces written down for that as well, but upon re-watching Goldfinger last night I realised I remembered it a bit differently than it went down. I also want to re-read the book before I actually get to writing it...and it's due the 14th of December. Mum and I may be going away the first weekend of December though, so I'm hoping to finish it all off that weekend. Beach cabin FTW.
It's actually funny to think about it all being done. Cause beyond that there's...well, nothing. I don;t know what I'll do when I get to that point. I have kind of gotten used to having some or other impossible deadline hanging over my head this year.
Rocks fall, everybody dies.
The only other thing I have to say is how tired I am of hearing about New Moon and it's not even out yet. Four separate pieces on it in the Telegraph today. Four. It's not only the fact that I just generally don't like the film franchise (based on the first, I concede I don't know this one will be atrocious, I am just assuming it from the lack of facial expressions), but I just feel that the entire thing is being misconstrued. Mostly I think the way people are interpreting the books are a direct result of the movie(s) which in itself did not do an adequate job of conveying the magic of the books. I do not know what that magic is, it baffles me as much as anyone, but I am not going to deny that there is definitely something about them. I devoured them with a fervour that can possibly only be explained by crack being laced in the pages. Who knows. It doesn't matter anyway. Fair enough, the fans are annoying, most fans of things are annoying. Come footy season, I find the nutters harping on about it just as annoying. I know I myself am no walk in the park when it comes to my ceaseless Doctor Who this and Torchwood that, but at least my fandom doesn't seemingly encompass the entire world and feature on every website, paper, and magazine. Still, I try to be forgiving as everyone is entitled to their fandoms. This was in the telegraph today:
"Basically, the (Twilight) books, especially the fourth, detail a textbook abusive relationship," Hamley said. / Editor Abigail Nathan of Bothersome Words enjoyed the books but has her concerns. "Adults are frequently disturbed by the nature of Bella and Edward's relationship, describing Edward as a stalker and Bella as a victim," she said. "There's an interesting selection of messages, with Bella constantly pushing Edward to sleep with her, and ultimately ending up bruised and battered." / Fantasy author Glenda Lake is also concerned with the way Bella never finds strength within herself and must, indeed, always be saved by Edward. "It harks back to a different age," she said. "Women my age had to fight to escape that kind of thinking." / "To present a heroine who never stands on her own two feet is to present a ghastly role model for today's youth."
Really? I am the first person to bitch about the general shittiness of female protagonists in literature - an undertone anyone who saw my short-lived I-hate-the-world post on Sunday will no doubt recognize - but much like the outrage after Breaking Dawn declaring it to be anti-choice, I just don't see it. I think there is an intensity crafted in the books that is so realistic, that you never question the validity of the relationship because it's just...right. That parents think Edward is a stalker and Bella a victim is entirely due to film which failed epically to capture that intensity, and they are played very much like stalker/victim (something that may be remedied by actual facial expressions. Just saying.)
The whole thing is very much in the Romeo and Juliet mould. If Juliet didn't end up battered and bruised, it's because Romeo is not a vampire nor did he have vampire friends. If you mess with things that are out of your league, then you are going to get hurt. Does that make it an abusive relationship? I hardly think so. I also think it's unfair to say Bella always waits on him to rescue her. In the first novel for example, she makes the active decision to go to whathisname to save her mother. It's a trap and ok yes, Edward does charge in and save her, but that's only fair since we're talking vampire/vampire death match. Bella isn't Buffy, she doesn't have slayer ass-kicking skills, but she never even pretends to be. So ok, moot point. Now this is just my interpretation of the whole thing, but I don't think Bella is a passive character. Cinderella is a passive character - everything happens to her, she doesn't actually do anything unless the decision is made for her. Bella makes her own decisions, they may seem small and inconsequential, but they are still very much moments where she exerts her own beliefs. I think the problem comes with Bella being more of a watcher, she's more introspective in watching and reacting to things which is often mistaken for inactivity. It is this quality that eventually dictates her "power" as a vampire, and saves the day I suppose. Cue trumpets.
Alright no, sarcasm aside, my point is I think they're being a bit harsh on the whole thing and as per usual, reading way too much into things. As a cultural studies student, I have had so many moments where I just wanted to scream "Can't a tree just be a tree?" because you know what, everyday people who look at a tree don't sit there and analyse the meaning of the tree or the significance of the place it's growing and how it is a metaphor for colonialisation or the presence of the Other. No, they just see a tree. Girls reading Twilight, they see a love-story. Not a dialogue on the Mormon church or a positive portrayal of abusive relationships or even the suppression of female will. Or are we seriously going to argue that people who are fans of Twilight are going to find themselves in abusive relationships and being forced into situations they don't actually want to be in because Bella is a bad role model? Not only do I not see anything in the books that could lead to such a thing (I'm sure you can find it if you wanted to, if there's one thing I've realised at uni it's that you can find anything in virtually everything), but it's just a classic case of shifting the blame yet again really, isn't it? Society has no accountability. It's so easy to blame school shootings on Marilyn Manson, and violence and crime on videogames. Yet we enforce stricter rules and regulations on these things and it makes no difference, the figures keep going up and we find something else to blame when the real problem is society's inability to take that blame upon itself and do something about it internally.
Although it is tempting, I'm not going to say "it's just a book." As the saying goes, the pen is mightier than the sword and for all intents and purposes, I'm quite firmly of the belief that words as vehicles for meaning are incredibly powerful. I also realise that when you are an obsessive fan of something it permeates your entire being and becomes a part of your life, so in that sense saying "it's just a book" can be quite hurtful and insulting. It's true that it can shape a person, and influence their beliefs and the way in which they view the world. But at the same time, this is teen fiction and a romance written by a first time author, and I think levelling the kind of cultural analysis upon the franchise the way many are doing is actually rather beside the point really. I do not for one second believe fangirls are going to end up meek and complacent in archaic female roles because hey, Edward Cullen or Jacob Black are not going to come along and sweep them off their feet. Real guys aren't like that and won't generate the same response. They know this, it's fantasy. Is that really so damaging?
I must digress now since I'm starving. I don't really know what the point of all this was. Ramble post ahoy!
Music: Hometown Glory - Adele
Mood: Meh
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Time is running out
I've been meaning to mention this but I keep getting distracted. Why are people so surprised/outraged by the artists the Twilight franchise manages to pull in for its soundtracks? I keep seeing complaints about "selling out" all over the place thanks to the high cred/indie status of the New Moon soundtrack. If you haven't seen it, it reads:
Death Cab For Cutie - Meet Me On The Equinox
Band Of Skulls - Friends
Thom Yorke - Hearing Damage
Lykke Li - Possibility
The Killers - A White Demon Love Song
Anya Marina - Satellite Heart
Muse - I Belong To You (New Moon Remix)
Bon Iver and St. Vincent - Rosyln
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Done All Wrong
Hurricane Bells - Monsters
Sea Wolf - The Violet Hour
Ok Go - Shooting The Moon
Grizzly Bear (Feat. Victoria Legrand) - Slow Life
Editors - No Sound But The Wind
Alexandre Desplat - New Moon (The Meadow)
This to me seems entirely natural, and I don't think the bands are selling out by lending their songs to the franchise either. The simple fact of the matter is, the franchise would never have existed without these artists/artists like them. I do not for one single minute believe 'Twilight' would read the same if Stephenie Meyer wasn't a huge Muse/Radiohead fan. Once you've made that connection, and looked at the playlists she posted while writing the books, you can clearly see the inspiration. Personally, that's something I've always loved about the franchise. I mean she even thanks the bands that have inspired her in the 'New Moon' acknowledgements. People think it's selling out for bands to allow their music to appear in these films? I think it's giving credit where credit is due.
Music: The Hollow Earth - Thom Yorke
Mood: Bored
Death Cab For Cutie - Meet Me On The Equinox
Band Of Skulls - Friends
Thom Yorke - Hearing Damage
Lykke Li - Possibility
The Killers - A White Demon Love Song
Anya Marina - Satellite Heart
Muse - I Belong To You (New Moon Remix)
Bon Iver and St. Vincent - Rosyln
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Done All Wrong
Hurricane Bells - Monsters
Sea Wolf - The Violet Hour
Ok Go - Shooting The Moon
Grizzly Bear (Feat. Victoria Legrand) - Slow Life
Editors - No Sound But The Wind
Alexandre Desplat - New Moon (The Meadow)
This to me seems entirely natural, and I don't think the bands are selling out by lending their songs to the franchise either. The simple fact of the matter is, the franchise would never have existed without these artists/artists like them. I do not for one single minute believe 'Twilight' would read the same if Stephenie Meyer wasn't a huge Muse/Radiohead fan. Once you've made that connection, and looked at the playlists she posted while writing the books, you can clearly see the inspiration. Personally, that's something I've always loved about the franchise. I mean she even thanks the bands that have inspired her in the 'New Moon' acknowledgements. People think it's selling out for bands to allow their music to appear in these films? I think it's giving credit where credit is due.
Music: The Hollow Earth - Thom Yorke
Mood: Bored
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Here follows nothing of consequence
I read this back before posting it and it's just a giant ramble of inconsequential nothing. Move along, nothing to see here.
***
One of the blogs I read did a VMA write up on the Kanye debacle, and there is the following comment - "This is why the taliban hates us!" For some inexplicable reason I found that utterly hilarious and am tempted to exclaim best. comment. ever. Even though, you know, it's not really funny. But hey, if the taliban does hate the US for Kanye, well I can't say I blame them. Perhaps that would be a better way to recruit people to their cause.
To weigh in on the debacle, just how is 'Single ladies (put a ring on it)' one of the best video of all time? How? It is nothing special, and besides, the song annoys me. I haven't seen Taylor Swift's video, so I suppose I can't really comment, but it can't be less impressive than 'Single ladies'. Surely. It's kind of funny that they're going on about it being the best video of all time when they were doing all those Michael Jackson tributes. Say what you want about Michael, his videos were amazing. I love a good theatrical video, it's why I like most of 30STM's videos too. Especially if Jared Leto is taking his shirt off...wait, what? Sigh. Such a waste, that one.
Of course some people want to make whole thing into a metaphorical race riot. FFS people, chillax. It's the MTV video music awards, it's hardly an Oscar. Besides, I can't even remember the last time I saw an actual video on MTV anyway.
When are we going to have the YouTube awards? Now that would be interesting. "And the award for most illegally recorded and watched Television Show goes to...." Just think of the categories - best animal related video, best idiotic stunt, the 5 minutes of fame award, the vlogger of the year, best comment, music video most removed by record company, video most replaced after removal by record company, best incident involving fire, best cartoon, best fan video, best recording of a live performance. Voted by the people, for the people! Your internet browser has spoken.
On this topic, saw the New Moon trailer, and while I concede it looks rather cool - the wolves, the Volturi, whatevs - it doesn't look like the acting has improved at all. Why do they have to stand around acting all intense and lacking facial expressions? Also, I really wish Edward wasn't so awkwardly stalkerish. I always pictured him as a perhaps serious but only because he's old fashioned guy with a sense of humour and certain spark for life. Movie Edward has none of that. They should take some lessons from True Blood who hit all the marks I fear they fail at.
Vampires led me to a blog post on hot vampires (which I fundamentally disagree with when it comes to Cedric, see: previous posts ad nauseum) and someone decreeing Lestat an ass and levelling much hate at him. Ok, so he is a bit of an ass, but he's also a fabulous character. I think those that don't know him past Interview with the Vampire really sell him short (I'm talking about the books btw, I haven't seen the other film(s?) after IWTV). I mean yes Louis is a tragic poetic soul, and I love him too, but Lestat has got so many layers he doesn't even know whether he's coming or going. He shifts between what he wants and what he believes, but he goes for it one hundred percent. Yes he's bad ass and vain and narcissistic, but that isn't all he is. It's fantastic, and to my mind, utterly believable. Plus he's completely fucked up, and sadly that is the way I prefer my characters. Point is, cut the guy some slack, if you can force yourself to get through 'The Vampire Lestat' so you can get on to 'Queen of the Damned', you'll see what I mean.
Anyway, who cares when you can get a Harry Potter wand as a remote control that works by recognising the flick of your wrist! Lookit! Haha epic nerd glee. Next stop - teleportation. Don't make me poke you with this newly acquired remote wand *narrows eyes*
Mood: Faintly annoyed
***
One of the blogs I read did a VMA write up on the Kanye debacle, and there is the following comment - "This is why the taliban hates us!" For some inexplicable reason I found that utterly hilarious and am tempted to exclaim best. comment. ever. Even though, you know, it's not really funny. But hey, if the taliban does hate the US for Kanye, well I can't say I blame them. Perhaps that would be a better way to recruit people to their cause.
To weigh in on the debacle, just how is 'Single ladies (put a ring on it)' one of the best video of all time? How? It is nothing special, and besides, the song annoys me. I haven't seen Taylor Swift's video, so I suppose I can't really comment, but it can't be less impressive than 'Single ladies'. Surely. It's kind of funny that they're going on about it being the best video of all time when they were doing all those Michael Jackson tributes. Say what you want about Michael, his videos were amazing. I love a good theatrical video, it's why I like most of 30STM's videos too. Especially if Jared Leto is taking his shirt off...wait, what? Sigh. Such a waste, that one.
Of course some people want to make whole thing into a metaphorical race riot. FFS people, chillax. It's the MTV video music awards, it's hardly an Oscar. Besides, I can't even remember the last time I saw an actual video on MTV anyway.
When are we going to have the YouTube awards? Now that would be interesting. "And the award for most illegally recorded and watched Television Show goes to...." Just think of the categories - best animal related video, best idiotic stunt, the 5 minutes of fame award, the vlogger of the year, best comment, music video most removed by record company, video most replaced after removal by record company, best incident involving fire, best cartoon, best fan video, best recording of a live performance. Voted by the people, for the people! Your internet browser has spoken.
On this topic, saw the New Moon trailer, and while I concede it looks rather cool - the wolves, the Volturi, whatevs - it doesn't look like the acting has improved at all. Why do they have to stand around acting all intense and lacking facial expressions? Also, I really wish Edward wasn't so awkwardly stalkerish. I always pictured him as a perhaps serious but only because he's old fashioned guy with a sense of humour and certain spark for life. Movie Edward has none of that. They should take some lessons from True Blood who hit all the marks I fear they fail at.
Vampires led me to a blog post on hot vampires (which I fundamentally disagree with when it comes to Cedric, see: previous posts ad nauseum) and someone decreeing Lestat an ass and levelling much hate at him. Ok, so he is a bit of an ass, but he's also a fabulous character. I think those that don't know him past Interview with the Vampire really sell him short (I'm talking about the books btw, I haven't seen the other film(s?) after IWTV). I mean yes Louis is a tragic poetic soul, and I love him too, but Lestat has got so many layers he doesn't even know whether he's coming or going. He shifts between what he wants and what he believes, but he goes for it one hundred percent. Yes he's bad ass and vain and narcissistic, but that isn't all he is. It's fantastic, and to my mind, utterly believable. Plus he's completely fucked up, and sadly that is the way I prefer my characters. Point is, cut the guy some slack, if you can force yourself to get through 'The Vampire Lestat' so you can get on to 'Queen of the Damned', you'll see what I mean.
Anyway, who cares when you can get a Harry Potter wand as a remote control that works by recognising the flick of your wrist! Lookit! Haha epic nerd glee. Next stop - teleportation. Don't make me poke you with this newly acquired remote wand *narrows eyes*
Vampires, the supernatural...did I ever mention that I adored the end of Being Human? I was a bit iffy on it in the beginning but it really pulled together in the last three eps, of course it would only be 8 episodes long *rolls eyes*
As you can probably tell, I have nothing valuable to contribute. All the plans for the day were rescheduled and instead I spent most of the afternoon getting better acquainted with the Wii Fit again. Tomorrow, library. It seems to be the only place I am largely productive. We do what we must.
Had the most bizarre dream last night in which Larry from Numb3rs was proving a theory that I was much too busy with research to do homework. The professors he was pitching to were unimpressed and insisted I do said homework. But hey, at least Larry was on my side!
Music: Something - The BeatlesMood: Faintly annoyed
Friday, September 11, 2009
Listen to music and see faces in its fires
I will not read your script:
It rarely takes more than a page to recognize that you're in the presence of someone who can write, but it only takes a sentence to know you're dealing with someone who can't. (By the way, here's a simple way to find out if you're a writer. If you disagree with that statement, you're not a writer. Because, you see, writers are also readers.)
QFT. Also,
To make matters worse, this guy (and his girlfriend) had begged me to be honest with him. He was frustrated by the responses he'd gotten from friends, because he felt they were going easy on him, and he wanted real criticism. They never do, of course. What they want is a few tough notes to give the illusion of honesty, and then some pats on the head.
One of the few things I've learnt at uni is to deal with criticism (and to not argue with it.) You have to really listen and take it on board. You can still ignore it of course, but it's important to at least consider it because usually the things you love the most about something is the thing that doesn't work all that well. It's probably the hardest part of the writing process though. If you ask for feedback, you have to be willing to take it and you cannot take it personally. You may have poured your heart and soul into something and love it dearly, but you can't let that predetermine your response. If you are defensive, you can't learn. I was super defensive about a particular bit in an Amped script once but when I started the re-write and thought about it, I took it out. I may love it but that doesn't change the fact that it doesn't actually work well with what we're trying to say. I never finished that re-write, but I will some day (December dammit!)
What I'm trying to say is, I've reached the point where I want criticism, you can keep the pats on the head. I don't care about that anymore. I've worked with a number of published professionals now and I generally feel confident enough in my writing. What I want is to get better, and I can only get better if there's criticism. As they say in Almost Famous, be honest and unmerciful. As the previously linked post notes, it's the kinder thing to do for the long run.
On the topic of things that I love, I'm still listening to The Gaslight Anthem. I'm giving 'I'da called you woody, Joe' a lot of air time mostly because it captures perfectly the way I felt the first time I heard The Clash too. I've never really been able to articulate what it meant when I found punk, not without sounding idiotic, and now I no longer have to try, the song has captured the feeling perfectly.
As heard by my wild young heart, like directions on a cold dark night,
Saying "Let it out, let it out, let it out, you're doin' all right."
God I love music. It seems to have the ability to capture feeling in a way no other medium can. I've often wondered whether my love of music didn't merely stem from my obsession with words. I listen to a lot of things that aren't particularly melodic or innovative, but that has stunning lyrics that I can't resist. This train of thought clashes with my love of punk though, where generally wordplay and poetics are discarded in favour of simply being loud and/or angry. Then there's classical music, and my obsession with the piano. In the end I can't help but think music transcends some sort of barrier that contains other forms of expression. Maybe it's just because melody can't really be tied down in words, caught and examined and explained, not really. By going against traditional form of interpretation so it resists translation into referential meaning. Critics try, of course, but it's such a subjective thing, it almost comes across as cupping water in your hands. Words can be twisted, taken out of context, and misinterpreted. Music just is.
I'm afraid I'm going to have to pull out some long Nick Hornby quotes now:
It is, perhaps, the curse of the trade. 'All art constantly aspires towards the conditions of music,' Walter Pater said, in one of the only lines of criticism that has ever meant anything to me (if I could write music, I'd never have bothered with books); music is such a pure form of self-expression, and lyrics, because they consist of words, are so impure, and songwriters, even great ones like [Aimee] Mann, find that, even though they can produce both, words will always let you down. One half of her art is aspiring towards the condition of the other half, and that must be weird, to feel so divinely inspired and so fallibly human, all at the same time. Maybe it's only songwriters who have ever had any inkling what Jesus felt on a bad day.
[Chapter 11: So I'll Run, 31 Songs, p.58]
Music, like a colour, or a cloud, is neither intelligent nor unintelligent - it just is. The chord, the simplest building block for even the tritest, silliest chart song, is a beautiful, perfect, mysterious thing, and when an ill-read, uneducated, uncultured and emotionally illiterate boor puts a couple of them together, he has every chance of creating something wonderful and powerful. I don't want to read inane books, but books are built from words, our only instruments of thought; all I ask of music is that it sounds good [and makes me feel something.]
[Chapter 19: Caravan, 31 songs, p.114]
I can't live without books any more than I can live without music. I can't really write without music either. There's something so intoxicating about art, these various creative forms of expression. Sometimes I feel like the secrets of the universe is wrapped up in there somewhere. Somewhere within the contradiction that at times feels so encompassing and so overwhelming, within that ability to make you feel so very alive and yet so very inadequate. Like the first time I read Hemingway.
Anyway, with another favoured Hornby quote, I'll go back to work:
But sometimes, very occasionally, songs and books and films and pictures express who you are, perfectly. And they don't do this in words or images, necessarily; the connection is a lot less direct and more complicated than that...It's a process like falling in love. You don't necessarily choose the best person, or the wisest, or the most beautiful; there's something else going on...I'm talking about understanding - or at least feeling like I understand - every artistic decision, every impulse, the soul of both the work and its creator. 'This is me,' I wanted to say when I read Tyler's rich, sad, lovely novel. 'I'm not a character, I'm nothing like the author, I haven't had the experiences she writes about. But even so, this is what I feel like, inside. This is what I would sound like, if ever I were to find a voice.'
[Chapter 2: Thunder Road, 31 Songs, p. 11]
It rarely takes more than a page to recognize that you're in the presence of someone who can write, but it only takes a sentence to know you're dealing with someone who can't. (By the way, here's a simple way to find out if you're a writer. If you disagree with that statement, you're not a writer. Because, you see, writers are also readers.)
QFT. Also,
To make matters worse, this guy (and his girlfriend) had begged me to be honest with him. He was frustrated by the responses he'd gotten from friends, because he felt they were going easy on him, and he wanted real criticism. They never do, of course. What they want is a few tough notes to give the illusion of honesty, and then some pats on the head.
One of the few things I've learnt at uni is to deal with criticism (and to not argue with it.) You have to really listen and take it on board. You can still ignore it of course, but it's important to at least consider it because usually the things you love the most about something is the thing that doesn't work all that well. It's probably the hardest part of the writing process though. If you ask for feedback, you have to be willing to take it and you cannot take it personally. You may have poured your heart and soul into something and love it dearly, but you can't let that predetermine your response. If you are defensive, you can't learn. I was super defensive about a particular bit in an Amped script once but when I started the re-write and thought about it, I took it out. I may love it but that doesn't change the fact that it doesn't actually work well with what we're trying to say. I never finished that re-write, but I will some day (December dammit!)
What I'm trying to say is, I've reached the point where I want criticism, you can keep the pats on the head. I don't care about that anymore. I've worked with a number of published professionals now and I generally feel confident enough in my writing. What I want is to get better, and I can only get better if there's criticism. As they say in Almost Famous, be honest and unmerciful. As the previously linked post notes, it's the kinder thing to do for the long run.
On the topic of things that I love, I'm still listening to The Gaslight Anthem. I'm giving 'I'da called you woody, Joe' a lot of air time mostly because it captures perfectly the way I felt the first time I heard The Clash too. I've never really been able to articulate what it meant when I found punk, not without sounding idiotic, and now I no longer have to try, the song has captured the feeling perfectly.
As heard by my wild young heart, like directions on a cold dark night,
Saying "Let it out, let it out, let it out, you're doin' all right."
God I love music. It seems to have the ability to capture feeling in a way no other medium can. I've often wondered whether my love of music didn't merely stem from my obsession with words. I listen to a lot of things that aren't particularly melodic or innovative, but that has stunning lyrics that I can't resist. This train of thought clashes with my love of punk though, where generally wordplay and poetics are discarded in favour of simply being loud and/or angry. Then there's classical music, and my obsession with the piano. In the end I can't help but think music transcends some sort of barrier that contains other forms of expression. Maybe it's just because melody can't really be tied down in words, caught and examined and explained, not really. By going against traditional form of interpretation so it resists translation into referential meaning. Critics try, of course, but it's such a subjective thing, it almost comes across as cupping water in your hands. Words can be twisted, taken out of context, and misinterpreted. Music just is.
I'm afraid I'm going to have to pull out some long Nick Hornby quotes now:
It is, perhaps, the curse of the trade. 'All art constantly aspires towards the conditions of music,' Walter Pater said, in one of the only lines of criticism that has ever meant anything to me (if I could write music, I'd never have bothered with books); music is such a pure form of self-expression, and lyrics, because they consist of words, are so impure, and songwriters, even great ones like [Aimee] Mann, find that, even though they can produce both, words will always let you down. One half of her art is aspiring towards the condition of the other half, and that must be weird, to feel so divinely inspired and so fallibly human, all at the same time. Maybe it's only songwriters who have ever had any inkling what Jesus felt on a bad day.
[Chapter 11: So I'll Run, 31 Songs, p.58]
Music, like a colour, or a cloud, is neither intelligent nor unintelligent - it just is. The chord, the simplest building block for even the tritest, silliest chart song, is a beautiful, perfect, mysterious thing, and when an ill-read, uneducated, uncultured and emotionally illiterate boor puts a couple of them together, he has every chance of creating something wonderful and powerful. I don't want to read inane books, but books are built from words, our only instruments of thought; all I ask of music is that it sounds good [and makes me feel something.]
[Chapter 19: Caravan, 31 songs, p.114]
I can't live without books any more than I can live without music. I can't really write without music either. There's something so intoxicating about art, these various creative forms of expression. Sometimes I feel like the secrets of the universe is wrapped up in there somewhere. Somewhere within the contradiction that at times feels so encompassing and so overwhelming, within that ability to make you feel so very alive and yet so very inadequate. Like the first time I read Hemingway.
Anyway, with another favoured Hornby quote, I'll go back to work:
But sometimes, very occasionally, songs and books and films and pictures express who you are, perfectly. And they don't do this in words or images, necessarily; the connection is a lot less direct and more complicated than that...It's a process like falling in love. You don't necessarily choose the best person, or the wisest, or the most beautiful; there's something else going on...I'm talking about understanding - or at least feeling like I understand - every artistic decision, every impulse, the soul of both the work and its creator. 'This is me,' I wanted to say when I read Tyler's rich, sad, lovely novel. 'I'm not a character, I'm nothing like the author, I haven't had the experiences she writes about. But even so, this is what I feel like, inside. This is what I would sound like, if ever I were to find a voice.'
[Chapter 2: Thunder Road, 31 Songs, p. 11]
Pic from here
[Parting shot: I think this whole thing sums up why I continue to feel compelled to defend Twilight - for the mere the fact that she thanks the artists that inspired her in the acknowledgements and that, with the playlists she posted online while writing the books, you can see the effects of that inspiration. That said, I had to go through fifty thousand Twilight related images while searching for one to include in this blog - there is a world beyond these books people, a wonderful world filled with hobbits, dead princes, pirates, snarky detectives, femme fatales, gangsters, reporters, crime, fairies, sword fights, true love, doomed romances and if you're reading The Dresden Files, it has all of that save the pirates. Broaden your horizons beyond Forks, to introspective moody, narrators; to larger than life characters; to fantastical, funny, heartbreaking, thoughtful books that are just waiting to be fallen in love with. Truth, beauty, freedom, love! Oh hang on, that's Moulin Rouge...]
Music: Norwegian Wood - The Beatles
Mood: Pensive
Sunday, June 28, 2009
I put myself in these situations
Ah man, what a day. I really want to go to San Diego Comic Con now, just to see the sheer scope and madness of it all cause even on the no doubt smaller scale that is Supanova, I had such a complete blast. Em was an absolutely perfect companion and I think we really made the most of it all and geeked out.
The highlight of the day was defintely Karl Urban, not only did he actually pose for a photo when he noticed me sneakily trying to take one without lining up, but he was all sorts of hilarious in his talk. He's wonderful. I think I fell in love a little. Lots of anecdotes and doing his Star Trek lines, making fun and just in general being a great sport. So yes, very nice experience.
I also got my compulsory Who fangirling in, as if a day passes where I don't find an excuse to do this. I got a pic with a Ten wannabe but later spotted another one who had the crazy Tennant hair but sadly we didn't see him again to grab a pic. There was only the one Whoniverse stall who saw it fit to give me a free 'Planet of the Dead' poster....of the giant fly man. Thanks guys. Really. Just come to think that maybe this was because I am clearly of the Torchwood persuasion of which they were none too keen on, but no, I'm not one for conspiracy theories. I'm sure we all got the stupid fly one, I mean it's not like anyone would actually buy it, they'd have to give it away.
Em and I also sat through the cosplay event/parade/thing hosted by a very annoying guy (I'm sorry, but it's true) as Em wanted to ogle the costumes. The people who had dances/sketches were quite amusing...like a demented sort of talent show. Other people merely posed, but then again I suppose it's meant to be about the costumes not about who's the most entertaining. There was a rather worrying Who sketch on at one point - they had a TARDIS...with legs. It was odd. To be honest, I didn't have a clue who half the people were, not being into anime much. I did seem some random costumes just wandering around the place including Pac-Man and Wally (of Where's Wally? fame). There was also a guy dressed in a giant yellow box...I'm not quite sure what his deal was. Oh, and the Ghostbusters guys! They were brilliant, really awesome costumes.
There was of course a huge Star Wars presence. The most memorable of it all was simply recognising the man playing one of the rebel fighter pilots as the same guy who played the same role at the Powerhouse Star Wars exhibition a couple of months ago. Is this his hobby - going from convention to convention playing a random character? Amusing.
Oh and Dick Bennedict! Whose hair still looks pretty much exactly the same it did in the 70s! Crazy. I had a bit of a glee moment at Em, I mean come on - it's Face! My mum is a bit of an original Battlestar Galactica fangirl, so that teamed with a whole lot of A-Team watching, well I've grown up knowing about him. So it's a bit surreal seeing him there. Although Em was hilarious when she asked if I wanted a photo with the old man. Epic lol.
Everyone seemed to be bashing Twilight at any given opportunity on stage, which I think is kind of sad seeing as they had one of the cast there and she had a huge line most of the time (Rachelle Lefevre who plays Victoria, and who is quite pretty I must say). I think it's become this thing where people are just negative because that's the thing to do you know. I mean, I'm not keen on the movie either, but the sheer extent of the negative response seems to greatly outweigh what is necessarily deserved. If that makes sense...my head hurts, don't expect me to make much sense.
See, I knew that chocolate sundae would come back to bite me in the ass!
Overall though I think it was great fun. We even bought comic books to get into the spirit of it all. Have some random photos - I took the first three, the rest are all Em's, she did a great job capturing the madness.
Ze floor.
Hee! Karl Urban = love.
Who you gonna call...
K9! Affirmative master!
The robot rest area. Note that they even had one of those weird little Imperial droid thingies that are so cute in the movies...well, I think they're cute anyway.
The Force was definitely strong throughout the day.
Conclusion: Geekdom is amazing.
Music: Whoa Oh (Me vs Everyone) - Forever The Sickest Kids
Mood: Amused
The highlight of the day was defintely Karl Urban, not only did he actually pose for a photo when he noticed me sneakily trying to take one without lining up, but he was all sorts of hilarious in his talk. He's wonderful. I think I fell in love a little. Lots of anecdotes and doing his Star Trek lines, making fun and just in general being a great sport. So yes, very nice experience.
I also got my compulsory Who fangirling in, as if a day passes where I don't find an excuse to do this. I got a pic with a Ten wannabe but later spotted another one who had the crazy Tennant hair but sadly we didn't see him again to grab a pic. There was only the one Whoniverse stall who saw it fit to give me a free 'Planet of the Dead' poster....of the giant fly man. Thanks guys. Really. Just come to think that maybe this was because I am clearly of the Torchwood persuasion of which they were none too keen on, but no, I'm not one for conspiracy theories. I'm sure we all got the stupid fly one, I mean it's not like anyone would actually buy it, they'd have to give it away.
Em and I also sat through the cosplay event/parade/thing hosted by a very annoying guy (I'm sorry, but it's true) as Em wanted to ogle the costumes. The people who had dances/sketches were quite amusing...like a demented sort of talent show. Other people merely posed, but then again I suppose it's meant to be about the costumes not about who's the most entertaining. There was a rather worrying Who sketch on at one point - they had a TARDIS...with legs. It was odd. To be honest, I didn't have a clue who half the people were, not being into anime much. I did seem some random costumes just wandering around the place including Pac-Man and Wally (of Where's Wally? fame). There was also a guy dressed in a giant yellow box...I'm not quite sure what his deal was. Oh, and the Ghostbusters guys! They were brilliant, really awesome costumes.
There was of course a huge Star Wars presence. The most memorable of it all was simply recognising the man playing one of the rebel fighter pilots as the same guy who played the same role at the Powerhouse Star Wars exhibition a couple of months ago. Is this his hobby - going from convention to convention playing a random character? Amusing.
Oh and Dick Bennedict! Whose hair still looks pretty much exactly the same it did in the 70s! Crazy. I had a bit of a glee moment at Em, I mean come on - it's Face! My mum is a bit of an original Battlestar Galactica fangirl, so that teamed with a whole lot of A-Team watching, well I've grown up knowing about him. So it's a bit surreal seeing him there. Although Em was hilarious when she asked if I wanted a photo with the old man. Epic lol.
Everyone seemed to be bashing Twilight at any given opportunity on stage, which I think is kind of sad seeing as they had one of the cast there and she had a huge line most of the time (Rachelle Lefevre who plays Victoria, and who is quite pretty I must say). I think it's become this thing where people are just negative because that's the thing to do you know. I mean, I'm not keen on the movie either, but the sheer extent of the negative response seems to greatly outweigh what is necessarily deserved. If that makes sense...my head hurts, don't expect me to make much sense.
See, I knew that chocolate sundae would come back to bite me in the ass!
Overall though I think it was great fun. We even bought comic books to get into the spirit of it all. Have some random photos - I took the first three, the rest are all Em's, she did a great job capturing the madness.
Ze floor.
Hee! Karl Urban = love.
Who you gonna call...
K9! Affirmative master!
The robot rest area. Note that they even had one of those weird little Imperial droid thingies that are so cute in the movies...well, I think they're cute anyway.
The Force was definitely strong throughout the day.
Conclusion: Geekdom is amazing.
Music: Whoa Oh (Me vs Everyone) - Forever The Sickest Kids
Mood: Amused
Friday, June 26, 2009
We all get together when we bury our friends
Out of all the Skins I've watched, the one quote I always come back to is simply "What have we learnt Sidney? You're friends are shitheads." I don't know why. Oh Season 1, nothing compares to you. Yes, you can imagine Sinead O'Connor now if you want.
I'm trying to scrounge up company for either a shopping trip down Oxford street or a stop by Supanova sometime this weekend.
Tomorrow, however, I'm sleeping in for the first morning in far too long. Beware the soul who wakes me before 9.30.
Roze just sent me this link - Buffy meets Edward. I find it quite amusing. Don't get me wrong, I love Edward, but it is well documented that I have little time for Cedric-what's-his-name and he is played like a awkward, slightly creepy teenager in the movie (which is not a vibe I got from the books at all), so yeah. Good giggle.
Music: Kill all your friends - My Chemical Romance
Mood: *sigh*
I'm trying to scrounge up company for either a shopping trip down Oxford street or a stop by Supanova sometime this weekend.
Tomorrow, however, I'm sleeping in for the first morning in far too long. Beware the soul who wakes me before 9.30.
Roze just sent me this link - Buffy meets Edward. I find it quite amusing. Don't get me wrong, I love Edward, but it is well documented that I have little time for Cedric-what's-his-name and he is played like a awkward, slightly creepy teenager in the movie (which is not a vibe I got from the books at all), so yeah. Good giggle.
Music: Kill all your friends - My Chemical Romance
Mood: *sigh*
Monday, June 1, 2009
Heart of treason
Ok ok so I'm a bitch. Tell me something I don't know. Let's just keep moving right along.
I am slightly perplexed as to how Cedric could have won best male performance at the MTV movie awards (note, I haven't watched it)...wasn't there a facial expression category? I'm mean I know, but *sigh* look I can't help it if the dude does nothing for me, now can I? I'm hugely disappointed by the shirt off scenes my friends have sent me because really, why is it never the guys I fancy that take their shirts off?
Could our PM be any geekier? If world politics was a playground, he'd be getting beaten up for his lunch money and hiding in the computer lab every recess.
I have decided I like the name PlaySkipPause for a band. Abbreviated to PSP. Cause in the land of band, an easy abbreviation makes a big difference. Well, at least here on Planet Jen it does.
I hate those days where your driving across a high bridge [which I do everyday now] and find yourself thinking how easy it would be to just swerve off it. Or is that just me?
Call up the captain, death to the lover that you were dreaming of.
Ugh my head hurts and my neck is so sore. Guess I better get some drugs and get this creative piece bashed out. Three thousands words, c'mon that's easy, I can do that.
Music: Viva La Gloria [Little Girl] - Green Day
Mood: Stressed
I am slightly perplexed as to how Cedric could have won best male performance at the MTV movie awards (note, I haven't watched it)...wasn't there a facial expression category? I'm mean I know, but *sigh* look I can't help it if the dude does nothing for me, now can I? I'm hugely disappointed by the shirt off scenes my friends have sent me because really, why is it never the guys I fancy that take their shirts off?
Could our PM be any geekier? If world politics was a playground, he'd be getting beaten up for his lunch money and hiding in the computer lab every recess.
I have decided I like the name PlaySkipPause for a band. Abbreviated to PSP. Cause in the land of band, an easy abbreviation makes a big difference. Well, at least here on Planet Jen it does.
I hate those days where your driving across a high bridge [which I do everyday now] and find yourself thinking how easy it would be to just swerve off it. Or is that just me?
Call up the captain, death to the lover that you were dreaming of.
Ugh my head hurts and my neck is so sore. Guess I better get some drugs and get this creative piece bashed out. Three thousands words, c'mon that's easy, I can do that.
Music: Viva La Gloria [Little Girl] - Green Day
Mood: Stressed
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
I'll swallow my pride if you'll stay for the years
And today I know that tomorrow is going to shine golden and bring our hearts back home
I'm floating down on my little bubble of low-level madness. I had some really loopy random thoughts yesterday...one even pertaining to the nature of immortality, which is a subject I spend much time pondering. Utterly depressing as unending life (or death, depending what incarnation you find yourself in) may be, it can also be completely fantastic. Imagine what you could do with all that time. All the things you could learn! It's gorgeous. Of course you end up alone and miserable, but hey, everything has a price. Unless of course you are a Cullen, in which case you can have a happy immortal family...in comparison to Ann Rice's vampires, who just don't roll that way. Lestat especially has a bad habit of trying to make himself some company and then running off, or letting them run off. It always reminds me of that line in Troy where Achilles is talking about the gods with Briseis and he says "we men are wrecthed things." I always adapt the line to suit my purpose at the time, in this case, we immortals are wretched things. It's relevant, ok! I love that scene, "The gods envy us. They envy us because we are mortal, because any moment might be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we're doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again."
For the record, I somehow incorporated the movie into an English essay in Year 12, that's why I can recall these lines.
What I find funny is how, sometimes, you'll come across something in some random spot and then suddenly it is everywhere. I came across the term "deus ex machina" on the Tropes Wiki site and since then I have found it in books, articles, even uni readings...and pretty much just everywhere. I went years without seeing it used and then suddenly, it's there. It's much like the Lone Ranger in fact. It's bizarre. All it does however is make me want to watch The Matrix.
My dad is so cute when he runs away from the creepy aliens of whatever I'm watching. He took one look at a bit of 'Small Worlds' and stalked off muttering to himself about things related to Doctor Who and weird creatures. He hates it. I taunt him regularly. Although strangely enough, his objection to aliens does not extend to the talking keychain I acquired today in a moment of weakness. I had to hide my keys cause he kept pressing the "Exterminate! Exterminate!" button. And now my mum wants to take it to work so she can walk around and brandish the "You must be upgraded!" one at people.
See, then people wonder where I get it from.
My purchases for the day did not limit itself to fangirlish acquisitions (although I did get the Torchwood yearbook while I was at it - nothing says fangirl quite like flagrant merch acquisition), I also purchased 2 pairs of jeans (black and worn traditional) and they're gorgeously long. Well not long long, but longer than I am accustomed to having. I love finding long jeans, it's such a rare occassion *revels* Oh and I got an umbrella from Dangerfield after freaking the girl out quite a bit. I forget that most people find it disconcerting when someone wanders in cicrles with a blank look on their faces and touching everything. I was trying to waste time, what can I say? Anyway, the umbrella has skulls on it. It looks pretty flimsy on closer inspection, but it'll do. Hype are still selling those psuedo Wellingtons, at 30% off at the moment. I'm wondering whether I should get a pair...cause I really am going to need waterproof shoes and Docs are heavy. Decisions, decisions. Once I have shoes, I believe I have everything for the trip...well except a plug. But in general it's all sorted. Which is good seeing as I'll be on a plane two weeks from today.
All this madness because I had to go into uni this morning with my stupid Honours forms. Camilla wasn't there, but I was prepared today and left it there along with an envelope so she could simply sign it and send it back to me. Aren't I clever? Come on, someone say I'm clever. She emailed me earlier to say it was in the post. So viola. Once it gets here, I can drop the tree's worth of paperwork in at the Tower and it's all done. Finally.
On my way to uni, which I may point out is exceedinly creepy when there is no one there - just a sleepy security gaurd on the ground floor and the crazy computer lab doors making weird noises and swinging open when you walk past; I saw a funny ad on the bus this morning for a beer company, I think it's Bluetongue beer, and it says "No lizards were harmed in the making of this beer. However one was squashed by our delivery truck in Perth." Tongue in cheek. Very nice.
Oh oh, while walking home from the station (yes walking home, and it was quite hot) I was thinking about scriptwriters and what they're thinking when they kill off their characters. I mean, what makes you think "hmmm, let's kill one of them"? I could never imagine killing one of the ESM crew. How horrible. I was trying to think of who I would kill off if I had to, and I just couldn't do it. Although Tyler would probably be the most likely candidate. Though I suspect Abbi will shoot me for even following this particular train of thought.
Oh. My. God. The whole fangirl/merch thing just reminded me (yes, four paragraphs later, I think it's clear that my brain ain't wired all that sharply at the moment), I have misplaced my Teenagers MCR shirt. I am not impressed. I keep going to put it on and then not finding it. I love that shirt, it's a bit big but it doesn't look stupid. And it's Teenagers. Teenagers! I don't know what the hell could have happened to it. I want it, damn it!
Sigh.
I want a desktop wallpaper that says "You can't always get what you want, but sometimes you get what you need" with Gwen, Jack and Ianto. Not surprisingly I had this thought while walking home as well. And indeed, I was listening to the song. As always, trusty iPod Beckettoo is made of awesome. I guess I could make my own wallpaper but I haven't really mastered the art of backgrounds on photoshop, and since having photoshop I have been reluctant to use anything else, even though I have a much better technical grasp of Corel.
You would think I'd have something better to do with my time, but no, I am a useless uni grad now. Watch me waste space.
I realise I didn't have an obsession of the week last Friday, so here's a belated obsession. It's a song called 'Doomsday and the echo' by Lovedrug. It recalls elements of Coldplay and Jack's Mannequin, probably the piano's doing, and is just a really gorgeous soft song. It's a soundtrack song, in my opinion. An honourable mention also goes out to 'I promise you walls' by Shiny Toy Guns which I have just recently fallen in love with.
Well, I've rambled most efficiently. But hey, at least it isn't about pigeons! Long story, don't ask.
Music: Just say you're not in to it - Mayday Parade
Mood: Tired
I'm floating down on my little bubble of low-level madness. I had some really loopy random thoughts yesterday...one even pertaining to the nature of immortality, which is a subject I spend much time pondering. Utterly depressing as unending life (or death, depending what incarnation you find yourself in) may be, it can also be completely fantastic. Imagine what you could do with all that time. All the things you could learn! It's gorgeous. Of course you end up alone and miserable, but hey, everything has a price. Unless of course you are a Cullen, in which case you can have a happy immortal family...in comparison to Ann Rice's vampires, who just don't roll that way. Lestat especially has a bad habit of trying to make himself some company and then running off, or letting them run off. It always reminds me of that line in Troy where Achilles is talking about the gods with Briseis and he says "we men are wrecthed things." I always adapt the line to suit my purpose at the time, in this case, we immortals are wretched things. It's relevant, ok! I love that scene, "The gods envy us. They envy us because we are mortal, because any moment might be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we're doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again."
For the record, I somehow incorporated the movie into an English essay in Year 12, that's why I can recall these lines.
What I find funny is how, sometimes, you'll come across something in some random spot and then suddenly it is everywhere. I came across the term "deus ex machina" on the Tropes Wiki site and since then I have found it in books, articles, even uni readings...and pretty much just everywhere. I went years without seeing it used and then suddenly, it's there. It's much like the Lone Ranger in fact. It's bizarre. All it does however is make me want to watch The Matrix.
My dad is so cute when he runs away from the creepy aliens of whatever I'm watching. He took one look at a bit of 'Small Worlds' and stalked off muttering to himself about things related to Doctor Who and weird creatures. He hates it. I taunt him regularly. Although strangely enough, his objection to aliens does not extend to the talking keychain I acquired today in a moment of weakness. I had to hide my keys cause he kept pressing the "Exterminate! Exterminate!" button. And now my mum wants to take it to work so she can walk around and brandish the "You must be upgraded!" one at people.
See, then people wonder where I get it from.
My purchases for the day did not limit itself to fangirlish acquisitions (although I did get the Torchwood yearbook while I was at it - nothing says fangirl quite like flagrant merch acquisition), I also purchased 2 pairs of jeans (black and worn traditional) and they're gorgeously long. Well not long long, but longer than I am accustomed to having. I love finding long jeans, it's such a rare occassion *revels* Oh and I got an umbrella from Dangerfield after freaking the girl out quite a bit. I forget that most people find it disconcerting when someone wanders in cicrles with a blank look on their faces and touching everything. I was trying to waste time, what can I say? Anyway, the umbrella has skulls on it. It looks pretty flimsy on closer inspection, but it'll do. Hype are still selling those psuedo Wellingtons, at 30% off at the moment. I'm wondering whether I should get a pair...cause I really am going to need waterproof shoes and Docs are heavy. Decisions, decisions. Once I have shoes, I believe I have everything for the trip...well except a plug. But in general it's all sorted. Which is good seeing as I'll be on a plane two weeks from today.
All this madness because I had to go into uni this morning with my stupid Honours forms. Camilla wasn't there, but I was prepared today and left it there along with an envelope so she could simply sign it and send it back to me. Aren't I clever? Come on, someone say I'm clever. She emailed me earlier to say it was in the post. So viola. Once it gets here, I can drop the tree's worth of paperwork in at the Tower and it's all done. Finally.
On my way to uni, which I may point out is exceedinly creepy when there is no one there - just a sleepy security gaurd on the ground floor and the crazy computer lab doors making weird noises and swinging open when you walk past; I saw a funny ad on the bus this morning for a beer company, I think it's Bluetongue beer, and it says "No lizards were harmed in the making of this beer. However one was squashed by our delivery truck in Perth." Tongue in cheek. Very nice.
Oh oh, while walking home from the station (yes walking home, and it was quite hot) I was thinking about scriptwriters and what they're thinking when they kill off their characters. I mean, what makes you think "hmmm, let's kill one of them"? I could never imagine killing one of the ESM crew. How horrible. I was trying to think of who I would kill off if I had to, and I just couldn't do it. Although Tyler would probably be the most likely candidate. Though I suspect Abbi will shoot me for even following this particular train of thought.
Oh. My. God. The whole fangirl/merch thing just reminded me (yes, four paragraphs later, I think it's clear that my brain ain't wired all that sharply at the moment), I have misplaced my Teenagers MCR shirt. I am not impressed. I keep going to put it on and then not finding it. I love that shirt, it's a bit big but it doesn't look stupid. And it's Teenagers. Teenagers! I don't know what the hell could have happened to it. I want it, damn it!
Sigh.
I want a desktop wallpaper that says "You can't always get what you want, but sometimes you get what you need" with Gwen, Jack and Ianto. Not surprisingly I had this thought while walking home as well. And indeed, I was listening to the song. As always, trusty iPod Beckettoo is made of awesome. I guess I could make my own wallpaper but I haven't really mastered the art of backgrounds on photoshop, and since having photoshop I have been reluctant to use anything else, even though I have a much better technical grasp of Corel.
You would think I'd have something better to do with my time, but no, I am a useless uni grad now. Watch me waste space.
I realise I didn't have an obsession of the week last Friday, so here's a belated obsession. It's a song called 'Doomsday and the echo' by Lovedrug. It recalls elements of Coldplay and Jack's Mannequin, probably the piano's doing, and is just a really gorgeous soft song. It's a soundtrack song, in my opinion. An honourable mention also goes out to 'I promise you walls' by Shiny Toy Guns which I have just recently fallen in love with.
Well, I've rambled most efficiently. But hey, at least it isn't about pigeons! Long story, don't ask.
Music: Just say you're not in to it - Mayday Parade
Mood: Tired
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Dying slowly of boredom
It's too hot to be sitting in the car waiting for the doctor to show up. I need my own set of keys or something! It also doesn't help that I just watched an episode of Torchwood where a girl is trapped in her car at the start and then stripped of her skin and organs. Pleasant. At least it's not dark.
Torchwood, may I just point out, is fantastic. I only have 6 episode until I'm done with season 1. Woe! I was babbling about it in class and no one had a clue what I was talking about, glee!
Since I'm on the topic, finished watching Heroes last night. SYLAR SURVIVES?? After all that? What is this madness? They just leave him there and...and...gah! How can they be that stupid? Also, damn it, can't Peter multi-task? That show is endlessly frustrating, I wash my hands of it.
Washing of the hands is also imminent for this Children's Fiction class. So. Frustrating. We started half an hour late cause the teacher stood there going through his email. He was looking for something class related, but that's not the point! And we're "workshopping" now but the way they did it in this class...holy crap, I've never seen anything like it. They literally went through every line to edit and critique, to the point of redundancy. I felt so bad for the poor guy. Usually when we workshop we say things we like and things we think needs work...we don't analyse every sentence submitted! Its no wonder then it went for over an hour. Like I said poor guy. Ally and I had enough by this point and were discussing Edward instead (I lent her New Moon)...Anthony interrupted us halfway through with "you're still talking about that!" T'was quite amusing. Then we did what any self-preserving being would do, we left at 12 during the break. Hell there's only so much repetitive criticism one can take...even if one is the audience and the person "under attack". They are probably going to tear my Limbo to shreds but hey, it's not rocket sciene....it's teen girl fiction. Like you know, whatever.
On the home front, the parentals have sold the Zafira. I'm slightly pissed since its for less than they should be getting for it but my dad doesn't wait anymore. Can't help but feel guilty. Stupid guilt. Grumbles.
Ugh. My laptop is still on the brink just so by the by. Screen is currently pulling its disappearing trick and still no sound. Gaaaaaaarrrr. I have to sneak about the house looking for unused dvd playing facilities, it's insane! Then I'm interrupted every two seconds "what are you watching?", "Go away! The alien is sucking their brain, can't you see this is tense?"....not really, but something like that. Also your father sneaking up on you is NOT FUNNY. I'm going to die young.
Concluding statement.....vampires rock.
Music: A song in the key of sex - Lorene Drive
Mood: Hyper
Torchwood, may I just point out, is fantastic. I only have 6 episode until I'm done with season 1. Woe! I was babbling about it in class and no one had a clue what I was talking about, glee!
Since I'm on the topic, finished watching Heroes last night. SYLAR SURVIVES?? After all that? What is this madness? They just leave him there and...and...gah! How can they be that stupid? Also, damn it, can't Peter multi-task? That show is endlessly frustrating, I wash my hands of it.
Washing of the hands is also imminent for this Children's Fiction class. So. Frustrating. We started half an hour late cause the teacher stood there going through his email. He was looking for something class related, but that's not the point! And we're "workshopping" now but the way they did it in this class...holy crap, I've never seen anything like it. They literally went through every line to edit and critique, to the point of redundancy. I felt so bad for the poor guy. Usually when we workshop we say things we like and things we think needs work...we don't analyse every sentence submitted! Its no wonder then it went for over an hour. Like I said poor guy. Ally and I had enough by this point and were discussing Edward instead (I lent her New Moon)...Anthony interrupted us halfway through with "you're still talking about that!" T'was quite amusing. Then we did what any self-preserving being would do, we left at 12 during the break. Hell there's only so much repetitive criticism one can take...even if one is the audience and the person "under attack". They are probably going to tear my Limbo to shreds but hey, it's not rocket sciene....it's teen girl fiction. Like you know, whatever.
On the home front, the parentals have sold the Zafira. I'm slightly pissed since its for less than they should be getting for it but my dad doesn't wait anymore. Can't help but feel guilty. Stupid guilt. Grumbles.
Ugh. My laptop is still on the brink just so by the by. Screen is currently pulling its disappearing trick and still no sound. Gaaaaaaarrrr. I have to sneak about the house looking for unused dvd playing facilities, it's insane! Then I'm interrupted every two seconds "what are you watching?", "Go away! The alien is sucking their brain, can't you see this is tense?"....not really, but something like that. Also your father sneaking up on you is NOT FUNNY. I'm going to die young.
Concluding statement.....vampires rock.
Music: A song in the key of sex - Lorene Drive
Mood: Hyper
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
You're just too good to be true
Ok here's a tip : do not watch Torchwood in your uni's dark, deserted computer lab. Every creak or slamming door freaked me the fuck out. I couldn't even finish the episode, I had two installments left when I decided I'd better head for class. Then everyone was late, I thought they'd been body snatched while I was hiding in the lab. So overall it's not too good for your nerves first thing in the morning. Anyway, I've given up on youtube's shoddy sound and picture and bought the first season. Look at my remarkable saving ability!
*shakes head*
Oh oh speaking of! As I was ambling about town hall aimlessly, I went to Borders contemplating buying 'Breath' by Tim Winton and the movie 'Waitress' (this was before I decided on purchasing season) and who is there but the absent Travis. He's still here. Mwahaha. He was totally nerd!travis though, it was freaking adorable. Black rimmed glasses and cardigan. Glee. Another glee moment was found earlier as it turns out I have successfully roped Ally into twilight fandom. Team Edward all the way.
Ugh class. Actors actually showed up today. They're there to "read" our scripts as part of workshopping. Its freaky and daunting since they are actual professionals...the woman was on water rats or blue heelers or something. Now they are volunteering to read our weird, amateur nonsense. I have to go next week. Eeeeep.
I just read the funniest thing :
Music: Can't take my eyes off you - Muse
Mood: Cheerful
*shakes head*
Oh oh speaking of! As I was ambling about town hall aimlessly, I went to Borders contemplating buying 'Breath' by Tim Winton and the movie 'Waitress' (this was before I decided on purchasing season) and who is there but the absent Travis. He's still here. Mwahaha. He was totally nerd!travis though, it was freaking adorable. Black rimmed glasses and cardigan. Glee. Another glee moment was found earlier as it turns out I have successfully roped Ally into twilight fandom. Team Edward all the way.
Ugh class. Actors actually showed up today. They're there to "read" our scripts as part of workshopping. Its freaky and daunting since they are actual professionals...the woman was on water rats or blue heelers or something. Now they are volunteering to read our weird, amateur nonsense. I have to go next week. Eeeeep.
I just read the funniest thing :
I know how I’m gonna die. It will be in England, and I’ll be hit by a car while I’m crossing an intersection. The road will be wet. The car will be Italian. Imagine standing at the mouth of a cave at twilight. Without warning, millions of bats scream past you at lightning speed on their way to hunt. Now imagine that the bats are all flying just inches off the ground. Now imagine that 25% of the bats change their minds and suddenly decide to head back into the cave at full speed. Now imagine that a different 25% of the bats suddenly become retarded and start spinning in random frenzied circles. Now imagine that they aren’t bats, but they’re actually full-sized cars and busses. That’s what it’s like to try cross a street in England. I’m telling you, I lose faith in the laws of physics. What it means is that, instead of simply looking left and looking right, and strolling across like a well-adjusted pedestrian, I have to look left, right, then left and right again, then right again, THEN I run like hell across the street yelling “oh shit oh shit oh shit” WHILE I’m looking left and right. Did I mention that the busses here are stealth? Yeah. Totally silent. Fast as fuck. Dangerous. Eerie. Hungry for American meat.Mat Devine is a genius ;)
Music: Can't take my eyes off you - Muse
Mood: Cheerful
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