I need to sleep

I’m going through Supernatural withdrawal and for some reason I’ve been thinking about this episode a lot. It’s one of my favourites, particularly because of this scene. It’s quite an intense episode and then as it’s all going to hell, Castiel just pulls Dean back. It feels like it carries so much weight considering what Dean’s just been through – what we saw of the future, of Sam, and of what Cas became. And Cas just stands there, and says such a simple line, and just knows. Oh, show. My heart.

Castiel: We had an appointment.
Dean: Don't ever change.

'The End' - Ep 4, S 5

Music: Casanova, baby! - The Gaslight Anthem

Top 10: Suit Fetish Enablers

I didn't have a Top 10 planned for this week - I've been far too busy to get anything organised (deadline was moved up a week and no one told me! Aaaaagh!) Instead I was going to post a pic and marvel at how dapper Mr Fassbender is. That's when I realised hey, that in itself is top 10 fodder. I do have a bit of a suit fetish after all. Quite frankly, I think life would be infinitely better if men wore waistcoats all the time. So, here are my top 10 favourite suit-wearers.

• Michael Fassbender

Let's face it, this man can do no wrong. None. None of it. Think about it. He sings with little provocation. He laughs like a lunatic. And he steals golf carts with James McAvoy. Wrong? Doesn't exist.

• James McAvoy

Speaking of my would-be-best-friend-if-life-was-fair, he fills out a suit quite nicely too - whether scruffy like in Penelope (also, major hat love there. Oh, so major) or just rocking really awesome jackets (yeah, technically not suit related but come on.) Just so by the by, Keira Knightley, who was in Atonement with James (a film I refuse to watch because I don't do war/angst), stars in an upcoming film with the fantastic Mr Fassbender. Why, Keira? Why am I not you? *dalek voice* EXPLAIN.

• Ben Barnes

Dorian Gray proved that putting someone in a suit immediately makes everything even better (which ironically is rather the opposite of what it tries to convey. Oh well.) Ben, the boy we all seem to lay claim to through various degrees of separation ("my friend's friend's aunt's uncle knows his parents" etc etc), looks good in anything, but it's like he was made to wear suits. Just look at him.

• Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt)

We can all thank Inception for bringing suit fetishes to the mainstream. That is, in a large part, due to the lovely Joseph here. See, waistcoats. You can't go wrong.

• Eduardo (Andrew Garfield)

Okay, The Social Network is a great film, but I can't be the only one who thought it was extra memorable because of Eduardo. Let me also take this opportunity to point out (again) that Andrew is just so nerdtastically adorable. Is it possible to watch his surprise comic con appearance and not want to hug him? I don't think so.

• Neal Caffrey (Matthew Bomer)

Oh, you are one smooth guy Mr Caffrey. You and Mr Fassbender are also helping to improve my hat appreciation. Hmmm hats. 

• Ianto Jones (Gareth David Lloyd)

Obviously. The Whoniverse is arguably responsible for my suit appreciation. Also, I said it before but I'll say it again, life is better with waistcoats.

• The Tenth Doctor (David Tennant)

Whoniverse! All your doing! All of it. Anyway, bow ties and fezes may be cool but pinstriped and (controversial) blue suits, and converse, are brilliant.

• Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch)

Has there ever been such a well-dressed consulting detective? Of course not. Don't ask such silly questions, you lower the IQ of the entire street.

• James Bond

It doesn't really matter what incarnation, suits are to Bond what air is to breathing. I have a particular penchant for Daniel Craig though - I once read an excellent article on the subtleties of his suit designs and it just had me hooked. Yes, I am lame enough to read an article on suit design.

And because I can't just end it there, honourable mentions go to...

• The Winchesters (and my dearest Castiel)

Just because they’re so adorable. Especially when they first start out and their suits are horrifically bad and they look super uncomfortable. Never did two men seem less suited to…um…suits. But A for effort boys. Cas, on the other hand, is the best holy tax accountant everrrr. End of.

• Oh, and The Master (John Simm)
  

My favourite lunatic ♥

• And Jim Sturgess

Hmmm. Suits.

Music: She's a rebel - Green Day

This was perfectly heartbreaking

And really rather beautiful.

This 1967 Chevrolet Impala would turn out to be the most important car…no, the most important object in pretty much the whole universe.

The Impala, of course, has all the things other cars have, and a few things they don’t, but none of that stuff’s important. This is the stuff that’s important; the army man that Sam crammed in the ashtray, it’s still stuck there; the legos that Dean shoved into the vents, to this day, heat comes on, they can hear them rattle. These are the things that make the car theirs. Really theirs. Even when Dean rebuilt her from the ground up, he made sure all these little things stayed… because it’s the blemishes that make her beautiful. The devil doesn’t know, or care, what kind of car the boys drive…

In between jobs, Sam and Dean would sometimes get a day, sometimes a week if they were lucky. They’d pass the time lining their pockets. Sam used to insist on honest work, but now he hustles pool, like his brother. They could go anywhere and do anything. They drove a thousand miles for an Ozzy show, two days for a J-Hawks game… and when it was clear, they’d park her in the middle of nowhere, sit on the hood and watch the stars. For hours. Without saying a word. It never occurred to them that sure, maybe they never really had a roof and four walls, but they were never, in fact, homeless.

- From Supernatural, Swan Song [S5, Ep22]

Music: Old haunts - The Gaslight Anthem

Wishing I'd been better designed

I have a broken toe. It is surprisingly painful. Or maybe it’s just the cold making it feel that way.

The urge to run away is so strong today. I don’t even mean run away overseas, I’d settle for Cairns or Broome or somewhere warm. We’re not even halfway and I’m already sick to death of winter.

Overall, had a brilliantly lazy weekend – despite getting extremely pissed at the guy in the Telstra shop when I attempted to acquire a new phone. He insisted there were all these things I couldn’t do (when others had already said I could) and then proceeded to mess about with my sim card despite me telling him not to and in the process I lost basically everything that was saved on said sim. He can be thankful my address book at least restored itself or I would have eviscerated him. Idiot.

That aside, R and I tackled Supernatural season 6. We’re 12 eps in and I’m not sure I know how I feel about this season. It’s improved since we’ve gotten rid of grandpa and the cousins (and Sam’s awful car) though – they were getting on my nerves. It's just a bit weird. I think because with the last season I’d gotten used to Sam and Dean pretty much being the most important people in the world, and now to have them treated as practically insignificant hunters again is…odd. While on the topic, cannot believe Sam wouldn’t hug Cas. The little bitch. Has Cas ever offered to hug anyone before? I don’t think so. Fail. Also, I think I actually prefer “Robocop” Sam to his usual self. It was rather nice to have a break from all his feelings.

Anyway. We should be able to finish it off in one more session, I think. Then I’ll be officially caught up and won’t have any choice but to sit around and wait for the next season with everyone else. Like a sucker. Ah well.

Oh oh, I rather enjoyed last night’s Merlin ep. This was something of a relief because last week I was thinking that I’d kind of gone off the show. It’s just not hitting that same note of ridiculous adorkability for me that it used to and really, how many times can Uther be a raving zealot? And I wish Arthur could just know about Merlin’s magic already – I mean really, how slow can he be?

Conclusion: I really watch too much television.

Music: The death rattle of the (largely useless) aircon

Fire starting in the dark

Well, it's happened. I have completed my course. On Thursday, I handed in my final two assignments, and all things said and done, I will be walking away with a MA in October. The last year has been harder than the others - not because it was academically harder, just more difficult to manage. Truth be told, I'm more confident with my academic abilities than I've ever been, but that's how it should be, that's the point of progressing through all these damn stages. On the other hand, juggling it with full-time work has definitely been tricky. It's been exhausting and mind-numbing...but hey, we got there in the end. And that's what I'm relieved about.

Funny thing is, despite my endless whining and stressing out, I'm going to miss uni. It's sort of bittersweet, having to finish up. I've spent nearly six years of my life at UTS and I've enjoyed it, really. It sounds weird, I know, but then I've spent more time at uni than I did at high school. So maybe my reaction to finishing up is sort of what people feel when they finish school. I don't know. I have every intention of doing my PhD after I've had a bit of a break (I'm even considering adding an extra major onto my BA if they'll let me) but it won't be at the same uni. So it's a definite end. Not a bad thing, by any means, it just...feels a bit weird.

Anyway. To celebrate the fact that I don't have any immediate academic deadlines hanging over my head (I'll worry about the remaining one next month), I've spent the entire weekend geeking out. Mostly this involved watching the first season of Supernatural (and I discovered that I've become far too invested in the Impala.) I also finally saw X-Men:First Class. So really, it's been an exercise in how much angst can be handled in a weekend. Answer: a lot. I loved First Class, so very much. And obviously I love those silly Winchesters too. Even though R and I spend most of our time yelling at Sam. Oh weeeell.

Still, it made for a lovely long weekend. Too bad I have to drag my sorry self to work again tomorrow. And there's so much to do too, gah. Stupid deadlines. But hey, only four days to go to more geekery. The insanity of Supanova awaits.

Music: Rolling in the deep - Adele

Running on bravado

Been home sick for the last two days - well, yesterday I was working from home, but today I've taken as a proper sick day. Anywho, I've got not one, not two, but three delightful infections. I'm so lucky. Antibiotics seem to be kicking in though, yay for small mercies. I have about 15,000 words to write this weekend, after all. Don't really have time for this being diseased business.

Point is, found this GIF on Tumblr (from here) and I just had to share it.

Supernatural/Doctor Who! What could possibly go wrong?


Music: Helicopter - Bloc Party

Gods? Oh, we are so, so screwed

To state what must be blatantly obvious by now, I’m a leeetle obsessed with Supernatural. I love it to an extreme degree (and am stupidly happy they’ve renewed it for a 7th season, even though I haven’t even seen the 6th one yet) but sometimes they do things that make me stop and go ‘wait, what?’ Like one of the episodes I watched last week called ‘Hammer of the Gods’ – there be spoilers in this post, so don’t read it if you care about that sort of thing and have any intention of watching this show.

You're so clever show! I love you.

I took one look at the name of the motel and thought, ‘Oh hey, this must be about Greek gods!’ Close, but not quite. Well, Mercury is in it and he's sort of related to the Greek god Hermes, but I think he’s generally not very impressive.

And he’s not very impressive in this episode either. I was more thinking along the lines of Apollo or Athena, Ares even – though I suppose if we start messing around with the god of war, it’ll get all mixed up with the Horsemen. ANYWAY. No Greek gods. Sadface.

But it’s not all lame messenger gods (sorry Mercury), the real orchestrators of this episode is Baldur, a Norse god, and Kali, a pretty kick-ass Hindu godess. It’s all very American Gods. Brilliant. Also in attendance at this lovely pagan feast is Ganesh, Zao Shen and Baron Samedi. No gathering would be completely without…

Odin, of course. The cause of my ‘wait, what?’ moment. Just bear with me. No sooner had those silly Winchesters gotten themselves captured by the god squad than who shows up?

Gabriel! My favourite archangel (but second favourite angel overall because no one can touch Castiel. Obviously.) But seeing as all the gods have gathered to discuss how to best get rid of the angels (Exterminate! Exterminate! Exter- oh wait, wrong fandom), they clearly don’t know what Gabriel is. In fact, they call him Loki.

Loki is actually very apt for Gabriel, he is the Trickster and all, but I’ve got a slight problem with this. For one thing, wouldn’t Odin recognise him? Even if he is possessing a different form, surely he’d know if it was actually Loki. They've got history. Also, in some tales Loki was behind Baldur’s death – so Baldur must actually know him as well (even if he’s not dead in this version.) Or are we supposed to assume that none of them actually know Loki to be able to tell if it’s him or not? Or just take his word for the fact that he is who he says he is even though he looks nothing like he’s meant to?

Okay, so I’m reading too much into it. I just though Odin should really know, they were pretty close and he is supposed to be wise, but hey.

Not that any of it matters really, because Mercury sucks and calls Lucifer. He really doesn’t play well with others, that one. I know he’s Satan and all, but out of everything he’s done and everything he’s meant to be, nothing made me blindingly angry until he did this -

Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Bastard! That was so unnecessary! He was your brother and look what you did. That’s why no one likes you, you prat. And that’s why you can’t have Sam Winchester, they actually get that whole family bond thing. Rawr. [DO NOT correct that if it’s wrong. Don’t tell me anything about how this ends. I don’t want to know! Aaaah!]

That’s one of the things I find most fascinating about this show. It really is all about family, about the bonds that unite people. It’s what holds everything together. I think that’s why I’m so fascinated by this whole angel mythology as well (and that really is what roped me into this show, as well as Dean’s priceless facial expressions) because even there, it’s all about family. Brothers and sisters up against brothers and sisters. Some of them don’t care, but it destroys others, and that’s very relatable.

Angels are often treated as these untouchable beings and while they’re certainly otherworldly in SPN, they’re also quite vulnerable. At least the ones who’ve been consorting with humans for a while seem to be. And I love that God’s just sort of packed up and pissed off cause he’s had enough. I’ve often wondered why the Doctor hasn’t done exactly that. Humans, man. We’re an exhausting bunch.

This show is such a contradiction. The last couple of eps before ‘Hammer’ have been so tough. It broke my heart to see Castiel’s faith shatter like that – it was hard enough when it was Jimmy, but to see it in Cas…ugh. And a hopeless Dean is a terrible thing to see. Emo is the province of Sam, and there it should stay. I was practically in tears when they had their little re-bonding moment in ‘Point of No Return.’ Curse you, silly show!

Anyway, I have one more episode left. I'm putting off watching it cause I know it's going to be a bucket of angst and sadness. And Season 6 watching is scheduled as a marathon in June. So, I have to weigh up my curiosity with my withdrawal symptoms. Sigh. I fear for my sanity.

To end, have some lovely Castiel. He's very proud of himself - he took a bus!

What have they done to you, Castiel? Just come here and let me hug you already.


Music: QI

Not the ordinary kind

My parents…are killjoys. Dad was vintage car shopping the other night, so naturally I got in on the action and loudly flapped about demanding we purchase one. Or really, trying to wheedle him into going halves with me on one.

“That cheap! It’s only $15,000 each!”
“What about that one? That’s nice. We can paint it.”
“Oh, get that one. We can fix it up. You can show me how to fix the engine properly. Just think, it can be our project. Wouldn’t that be fun? Huh? Huh? Come oooooon.”

I’ve been able to convince my dad of a lot in my life – I am, after all, daddy’s little girl – but here we come to an impasse.

Unfortunately, both he and mum are unfailingly practical on this particular topic. He’s more than happy to look at all the gorgeous vintage goodness and keeps showing me all the Mustang convertibles he finds, but then keeps being a downer in saying I can’t drive it every day and how expensive the upkeep would be etc etc. And then there’s mum chipping in with how much petrol the thing would take (also I’ve realised as most of the old cars run on leaded fuel, where would I even go to fill it up? It's all unleaded these days or, worse, ethanol.)

Sigh. They just rain on my parade.

I just want to live Marge, won't you let me live!?

On a similar note, a guy dad works with is selling his Impala. Selling. His. Impala. How is that not a sign? Now personally, they don't really do it for me - my heart’s been set on a Mustang since I was like 13 - but if an opportunity just comes begging, I’d settle for an Impala. Despite it being ginormous. It’d probably park the entire street in. Or as dad said, “Why do you want this old thing? It’s so big, you could live in it!” Which is actually a pro if you think about it because if I purchase a vintage car, that’s exactly where I’d have to live.

Actually, speaking of Impalas. I was watching Supernatural last night (how can a show so funny be so emo? You hurt my heart, show!) and got to thinking – in light of all these negative, practical facts my parents insist on bothering me with – how do the Winchesters even keep that thing on the road? I mean hell, petrol is expensive.

Also, not once in the last two seasons has it broken down. My car is 14 years younger than that thing, and if I drove it across country hunting demons all the time, it’d totally be a gibbering wreck. Driving 88kms a day in traffic is already turning it into a gibbering wreck. Oi, suspension of disbelief, please come apply yourself to my almost-vintage car as well.

If I hold onto Jack for twenty more years, I think he’ll qualify as vintage. There must be a nutter somewhere collecting Daihatsus.

Dear car, please come and park yourself in our garage. Thanks.

That one is actually perfect. Excellent condition, original owners, just perfect. So…how much can you get for a kidney these days? Ugh. I’m just going to sit here in the corner, softly crying. Don’t mind me.

This is what dad wants, just so by the by. He’s old-school rock n roll.

PS: I'm amazed I don't have a tag for Jack. Considering how much I've whined about him, you'd think I'd have a car appropriate post label. Hm.

Music: Kill Tonight - Panic! At The Disco

A turning of the season

My head is a strange, strange place. Last night I had a dream R and I were tramping around Europe and we ran into Mat and Kill Hannah. They gave us a ride to Helsinki, where we ended up drinking absinthe in a very dark bar with Ville Valo. For some reason Ville needed someone to drive his Aston Martin (I don’t know) to his wife in Germany (I really don’t know, I don’t even know if he has a wife), so of course we volunteered. R recorded the entire journey and put it up on Facebook (dreaming about social media, lame). When we got there, Kill Hannah and HIM were playing a festival (why did we have to drive the car then?) and we got passes as thanks. 30 Seconds To Mars were also playing this festival and, in the end, we somehow ended up getting a tour of Portugal from Shannon and Jared.

So, according to my dreams, touring bands are the equivalent of the Doctor – just picking up random strays and taking them all over the place.

Would be pretty epic though, you'd save a lot on travel.

Anyway, 16 days till holiday! So much to do before then, but still. Yay! And I’ve got about 12 episodes of SPN season 5 left, so I should be able to finish it before I go and then angst over S6 – it only finishes airing in the US in May (R! Must watch S1 and 2 before that, yes? Yes. There’s the long weekend in June that I think has season 6 marathon written all over it.)

On the topic, I love this. The third frame - Cas' face! And Dean's all 'Note to self: Do not punch.'


Taken from here

 Oh Castiel, I've mentioned that I love you, right?

Music: Don't carry it all - The Decemberists

Top 10: Supernatural Quotes

From season 4, as that’s the one I’ve recently watched properly in one go. I’m about five eps into season 5 and I can already tell I’m going to love it with an unholy passion. Problem is I’m already too involved with this show – they’re going to kill characters, they’re going to end it, and I am going to be forlorn. Sigh. Of course I’d get into it when it’s halfway through what is most probably the last season. And I have to wait for that to finish airing before I can watch it – don’t have the patience for this waiting a whole week for new eps thing. Anyway! Season 4. I really enjoyed this a whole lot (obviously). Onwards!

Dean: I’m starving, let’s get breakfast.
Sam: Where? We’re like two hours from anything.
Dean: But I’m hungry now.
- Jump The Shark

Chuck: I am the prophet Chuck!
- The Monster At The End Of This Book (I don’t know why this scene cracks me up as much as it does, but I just think it’s hilarious.)

Castiel: Uriel is the funniest angel in the garrison. Ask anyone.
- On The Head of a Pin (Chosen because Dean’s facial expression at that is just too priceless.)

Dean: You know I finally get why you and dad butted heads so much. You two are practically the same person. I mean I worshipped the guy, y'know: I dressed like him, I acted like him, I listened to the same music. But you are more like him than I will ever be. I see that now.
Sam: I'll take that as a compliment.
Dean: You can take it any way you want.
- Jump The Shark (Ugh. These two. My heart breaks.)

Dean: All right, everybody stay where you are. You'll be okay.
Jock on Bus: Aren't you the P.E. teacher?
Dean: Not really. I'm like 21 Jump Street. The bus driver sells pot. Yeah.
- After School Special

Bobby: I think I got everything we need here at the house.
Dean: Any chance you got everything we need here in this room?
Bobby: So you thought our luck was gonna start now all of a sudden?
 - Are you there, God? It’s me Dean Winchester

Dean: That guy was about to Frankenstein me.
Sam: Hey there Hansel!
Dean: Shut up!
- Monster Movie

Dean: I’m sitting in a laundromat reading about myself sitting in a laundromat reading about myself. My head hurts.
- The Monster At The End Of This Book

Sam: How ya feelin'?
Dean: Awesome. It's nice to have my head on the chopping block again, I almost forgot what that feels like. It's friggin delightful.
- Yellow Fever

Wes: Aren't you the guys from the Health Department?
Sam: Yeah. And florists on the side.
Dean: Plus FBI. And on Thursdays, we're teddy bear doctors.
Wes: Huh?
- Wishful Thinking (The entire teddy bear thing is just gold.)

Must be said I absolutely adore the way Dean just says ‘Humans, man!’ with such disgust in ‘Family Remains’ as well. I am now constantly doing that when I’m annoyed.

Also, have this cap -

I love how gleeful Sam is while Dean is all D: D: D: Oh, boys *shakes head*

Music: Shut me up - Mindless Self Indulgence

What visage are you in now, holy tax accountant?

Dear blogosphere,

I have a confession to make. I am hopelessly obsessed with Supernatural. I know, I know. I said it wasn’t something I could ever get into. But that was almost two years ago, and I was still smarting at other betrayals. People change.

Now, generally speaking, I still consider SPN to be the Hardy Boys to Charmed’s Nancy Drew, but when they’re having so much fun, who even cares? And that really is the best thing about this show – it is just a whole lot of fun. A whole lot of creepy too, but nothing that’s not tempered by the good times. There’s a real sense that it doesn’t take itself too seriously – and not in a detrimental way that strips it of meaning or levels it to kitsch, but just in a really enjoyable along-for-the-ride way. And it’s so old school rock n roll. Brilliant.

But rather than trying to express my new found adoration for this show in words, I’ll just raid youtube instead.


This episode is art. That is all.

'The Monster At The End Of This Book' is also fabulous. Meta-madness. How many people would write a slash reference into their show? I'm thinking not many. Some people knock Eric Kripke and the other producers and writers on this show for paying attention to fans the way they do. I think it’s hilarious. Just that little nod to say we know you’re out there. And it’s nice, you know? Not because I think fans should necessarily have a say in what happens in their favourite shows (or in fact that they have any given right to be acknowledged), but it’s just nice.

The there's Castiel. Sigh. Ignore the whole Luke/Vader thing in this vid, it's the only one I could find of this scene and I just love the head tilt so much. I have come to the conclusion that Misha Collins is an under-appreciated genius. Never would I have thought that a simple head tilt could cause me such glee. Everything about Castiel is perfection. Just love. I am definitely looking forward to much more Cas time. (Also, he has the best character introduction scene possibly ever.)

With Torchwood off having delusions of grandeur, Doctor Who being on its break, and Sherlock being only three measly episodes, it seems American shows have stolen my heart. First Fringe, which I honestly think is one of the best shows around at the moment, and now Supernatural. Go Team Free Will!

I get the feeling somehow that feminists probably don’t like SPN very much *taps lip* Might have to look into that. Anyway, I’m heading into season 5 now. I just can’t seem to stop. I know a lot of people will consider this sacrilege, but I actually like it more now than I like Buffy *flinches* Don’t hurt me! Not that I don’t like Buffy, but just…comparatively speaking. Mind you, Sam is just as annoying as Buffy is in season 3. What is Sam’s major malfunction anyway? Is it so hard to see Dean’s just looking out for him? Fool! Also, these two boys are so emotionally stunted. Also also, I may possibly be just a little teeny bit too emotionally invested in Dean. Oops.

So yes, I know it’s not a show that’s taken particularly seriously…but that’s sort of the point, isn’t it? You just have to enjoy the ride. And sing along. And possibly check under your bed for ghouls. And actually, drawing a salt line near your doors and windows wouldn't hurt either. Just, you know, in case.

Sincerely,
Someone who did not do any uni work this weekend.


Dean: And that, Sam, is exactly why our lives suck. I mean come on, we hunt monsters. What the hell? Normal people, they see a monster and they run, not us. No, no, no we search out things that want to kill us, yeah, or..or eat us. You know who does that? Crazy people! We are insane!!
- Yellow Fever

Sam: Are we... should we... are we gonna kill this teddy bear?
Dean: How? Do we shoot it, burn it?
Sam: I don't know. Both?
Dean: How do we even know that's gonna work? I mean I don't want some giant, flaming, pissed-off teddy on our hands.
Sam: Yeah. Besides, I get the feeling that the bear isn't really the, you know, core problem here.
- Wishful Thinking

Come here show, let me hug you.

Music: Whole lotta love - Led Zeppelin