They go and perform this:
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Just when I thought I'd never meet a nice guy again...
So, I realize that I've been a magnet for weirdos and idiots in the past (with a few exceptions of course), but now I think I've found someone who I could really be with!
Please see my future love here: http://www.findingmygoddess.com/
All I have to do is
1. Lose any willingness to think for myself.
2. Make sure that I weigh no more than 3 pounds.
3. Change my religious beliefs so that can I accept all beliefs as truth.
4. Be willing to be laughed at or stared at with incredulity for the rest of my life.
5. Believe that he DOESN'T WANT TO CONTROL ME.
6. Get rid of the European woman who thinks she should have him instead.
Hooray! I'm sure this one won't be as crazy as the last one I had! I'm moving up!
Please see my future love here: http://www.findingmygoddess.com/
All I have to do is
1. Lose any willingness to think for myself.
2. Make sure that I weigh no more than 3 pounds.
3. Change my religious beliefs so that can I accept all beliefs as truth.
4. Be willing to be laughed at or stared at with incredulity for the rest of my life.
5. Believe that he DOESN'T WANT TO CONTROL ME.
6. Get rid of the European woman who thinks she should have him instead.
Hooray! I'm sure this one won't be as crazy as the last one I had! I'm moving up!
Get yer freak on with Sue Teller
Things to look for:
1. A little suh-mmm suh-mmm.
2. Good product placement.
3. Musicality
4. Signs of insanity displayed by talking to yourself.
5. World Wide Internet.
6. Word! What what!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
DM's playlist and other thoughts on the concert
So if you have time, please read the previous post as well to introduce yourself to my frame of mind during the concert. Here is the outward description of the events of the concert:
As stated before, we had box seats. The box was stocked with food (but drinks were extra - $10 for a six pack!) and we had nobody blocking our view really.
The backdrop of the stage was a projector of films, close ups of the members of DM and other objects. It was a very interesting set up since it had a semi-circle on the middle top part of the screen. This bulge was used in very creative ways during the concert as I'll describe below. The stage also had a catwalk that was used occasionally by Dave and Martin. It would have been nice to have it used a bit more though since it was directly in front of us.
Dave was wearing a leather vest with black pants and from where I sat he seemed to be just as young looking as he was back in the 80's. Unfortunately the close-ups revealed that he had aged, but he still looked great. Martin was wearing a very shiny silver outfit from shirt to boots. And just like Edward, he sparkled (although he didn't have the tinkling sound coming when standing in the light - that must only happen in the sun.) Unfortunately, Martin looked a little worse for wear. Andy did his usual standing behind a keyboard and occasionally pressing a key or whatever. :)
But despite their obvious departure from their 20's (reminding me as well of my own), they were in great form and still had incredible voices that defied any years that may have past.
So here is the play list and a description of the background.
1. In Chains - During this song, the background showed a young dark boy and a wizened old man. In the bulge a woman was walking on what seemed to be a treadmill that was just out of camera range. During the song the man got younger and darker and the boy got whiter and older until at the end they had reversed positions on the screen. The woman who was walking had her clothes continue to morph into different outfits.
2. Wrong - Several cameramen were in front of the stage delivering a live feed to the backdrop of Dave and the others. They added a cool effect in which the screen appeared to be from film rather than from the live broadcast. It took a moment to realize that the video image was not previously shot.
3. Hole to Feed - The big difference with this concert vs. the Black Celebration tour is that they had an actual drummer. The heavy jungle beat from this song was intoxicating.
4. Walking in My Shoes - I loved the backdrop for this. During the intro, a crow flew around and eventually settled on a post. Once the lyrics began, the bulge turned into a crow's eye which roamed over the room peering and blinking at all of us. The effect was a little unsettling but still really cool.
5. Its No Good - Again, pictures of the band performing, but with changing colors and echoes.
6. A Question of Time
7. Precious - A typewriter ball filled the circle this time and wrote the following poem:
I have learned so much
I
Have
Learned
So much from God
That I can no longer
Call
Myself
A Christian, a Hindu, a Muslim,
A Buddhist, a Jew.
The Truth has shared so much of Itself
With me
That I can no longer call myself
A man, a woman, an angel,
Or even pure
Soul.
Love has
Befriended Hafiz so completely
It has turned to ash
And freed
Me
Of every concept and image
My mind has ever known.
Tr. Daniel Ladinsky - 'The Gift'
8. Fly on the Windscreen - I just remember being in ecstasy for this. I don't remember one other thing other than calling Joel and having him listen with me.
9. Jezebel - The bulge this time was the moon and the rest of the backdrop showcased Martin singing this song.
10. A Question of Lust - Again, Martin performed this and his glitter was very apparent on the backdrop. Flashbacks of Twilight kept threatening to overtake me, but I resisted.
11. Miles Away/The Truth Is - The circle was the globe with stars shooting past it on the backdrop.
12. Policy of Truth - The globe then turned into the top part of a bubblegum machine while the gumballs fell out of it and bounced all over the rest of the backdrop.
13. In Your Room
14. I Feel You
15. Enjoy the Silence - Astronauts. Each member moved after a few minutes so that a new person's head was in the bulb. Then they just stood still for awhile and stared at you.
16. Never Let Me Down Again
Encore I
17. Shake the Disease - I realize I'll sound like a stupid teenage girl, but I screamed when this came on. I haven't heard them perform this in years! But Martin sang it perfectly and with just a piano accompaniment. I would love to have a recording of this.
18. Stripped
19. Strangelove - Nothing like watching porno with 10,000 strangers.
Encore II
20. Personal Jesus
21. Waiting for the Night to Come - The bulge was transformed into a disco ball and Dave and Martin went onto the catwalk to sing this together.
Afterwards, all the band members came down onto the catwalk where they took a bow and said their thank yous.
For some videos of the concert go here.
This will always be a great memory for me. Thank you Delmar!
As stated before, we had box seats. The box was stocked with food (but drinks were extra - $10 for a six pack!) and we had nobody blocking our view really.
The backdrop of the stage was a projector of films, close ups of the members of DM and other objects. It was a very interesting set up since it had a semi-circle on the middle top part of the screen. This bulge was used in very creative ways during the concert as I'll describe below. The stage also had a catwalk that was used occasionally by Dave and Martin. It would have been nice to have it used a bit more though since it was directly in front of us.
Dave was wearing a leather vest with black pants and from where I sat he seemed to be just as young looking as he was back in the 80's. Unfortunately the close-ups revealed that he had aged, but he still looked great. Martin was wearing a very shiny silver outfit from shirt to boots. And just like Edward, he sparkled (although he didn't have the tinkling sound coming when standing in the light - that must only happen in the sun.) Unfortunately, Martin looked a little worse for wear. Andy did his usual standing behind a keyboard and occasionally pressing a key or whatever. :)
But despite their obvious departure from their 20's (reminding me as well of my own), they were in great form and still had incredible voices that defied any years that may have past.
So here is the play list and a description of the background.
1. In Chains - During this song, the background showed a young dark boy and a wizened old man. In the bulge a woman was walking on what seemed to be a treadmill that was just out of camera range. During the song the man got younger and darker and the boy got whiter and older until at the end they had reversed positions on the screen. The woman who was walking had her clothes continue to morph into different outfits.
2. Wrong - Several cameramen were in front of the stage delivering a live feed to the backdrop of Dave and the others. They added a cool effect in which the screen appeared to be from film rather than from the live broadcast. It took a moment to realize that the video image was not previously shot.
3. Hole to Feed - The big difference with this concert vs. the Black Celebration tour is that they had an actual drummer. The heavy jungle beat from this song was intoxicating.
4. Walking in My Shoes - I loved the backdrop for this. During the intro, a crow flew around and eventually settled on a post. Once the lyrics began, the bulge turned into a crow's eye which roamed over the room peering and blinking at all of us. The effect was a little unsettling but still really cool.
5. Its No Good - Again, pictures of the band performing, but with changing colors and echoes.
6. A Question of Time
7. Precious - A typewriter ball filled the circle this time and wrote the following poem:
I have learned so much
I
Have
Learned
So much from God
That I can no longer
Call
Myself
A Christian, a Hindu, a Muslim,
A Buddhist, a Jew.
The Truth has shared so much of Itself
With me
That I can no longer call myself
A man, a woman, an angel,
Or even pure
Soul.
Love has
Befriended Hafiz so completely
It has turned to ash
And freed
Me
Of every concept and image
My mind has ever known.
Tr. Daniel Ladinsky - 'The Gift'
8. Fly on the Windscreen - I just remember being in ecstasy for this. I don't remember one other thing other than calling Joel and having him listen with me.
9. Jezebel - The bulge this time was the moon and the rest of the backdrop showcased Martin singing this song.
10. A Question of Lust - Again, Martin performed this and his glitter was very apparent on the backdrop. Flashbacks of Twilight kept threatening to overtake me, but I resisted.
11. Miles Away/The Truth Is - The circle was the globe with stars shooting past it on the backdrop.
12. Policy of Truth - The globe then turned into the top part of a bubblegum machine while the gumballs fell out of it and bounced all over the rest of the backdrop.
13. In Your Room
14. I Feel You
15. Enjoy the Silence - Astronauts. Each member moved after a few minutes so that a new person's head was in the bulb. Then they just stood still for awhile and stared at you.
16. Never Let Me Down Again
Encore I
17. Shake the Disease - I realize I'll sound like a stupid teenage girl, but I screamed when this came on. I haven't heard them perform this in years! But Martin sang it perfectly and with just a piano accompaniment. I would love to have a recording of this.
18. Stripped
19. Strangelove - Nothing like watching porno with 10,000 strangers.
Encore II
20. Personal Jesus
21. Waiting for the Night to Come - The bulge was transformed into a disco ball and Dave and Martin went onto the catwalk to sing this together.
Afterwards, all the band members came down onto the catwalk where they took a bow and said their thank yous.
For some videos of the concert go here.
This will always be a great memory for me. Thank you Delmar!
Just Can't Get Enough
Yesterday I had the best present I could probably receive for my 40th birthday. I had an opportunity to relive a day from my teenage years.
When I was about 16 years old, I went to my first concert. It was Depeche Mode's Black Celebration tour. Now for those who don't know, Depeche Mode was MY band. If you knew anything about me, it was that I absolutely adored them. I dreamt of them, I plastered my room with posters of them, and sadly as a silly teenager I even had a picture of them next to my bed that I would kiss goodnight.
I went to this concert with one of my close high school friends, Delmar. A series of unfortunate events accompanied this trip to the Park City event. The person who was supposed to drive Del and I there (as my mom and step-dad were on their way to Wyoming with the rest of my family) had the wrong date written down and was a no show when we showed up at her house.
I made the decision to drive us in an unreliable car (actually that described ALL of our cars at the time come to think of it). In my naivete, I filled the car with unleaded when it took leaded. It didn't permanently damage the car, but it did make it die half-way to Park City. We ended up getting it towed the rest of the way and we attended the concert which was incredible.
However, after the concert was done, we were stuck there with few options of getting home. I was supposed to fly out to Denver to visit my dad the next day and my bags were in the trunk of the car in preparation of driving to Salt Lake City to catch a plane.
We ended up getting a hold of the daughter of my next door neighbors and she and her husband came and got us (and my luggage)and took us home. I called my uncle and asked if he would go and take a look at the car (since he's an awesome mechanic). He and his wife and a couple of his kids drove all the way up there where the car magically started up and worked fine.
Unfortunately, they were hit by a drunk driver on the way back and it totaled the car. Since I was not supposed to have taken the car in the first place, I got in a ton of trouble for the whole situation and was grounded for a very long time.
Despite all the problems, I still have good memories of this day and how great the concert was.
Back to the present day, my friend Delmar called me last week and asked if I would be willing to take a trip to the past. He asked if he could take me to the Depeche Mode concert which took place last night. He had box seats and so I reluctantly said yes...by jumping up and down and screaming for joy.
The ride up to Salt Lake this time was not fraught with peril or broken down cars. We didn't have to fight people off of us or put up with second hand pot smoke. Afterwards, the worst part of getting back was waiting to get out of the parking lot. But just the same, during the concert all I had to do was shut my eyes and I was sixteen all over again. I was naive and bright eyed and pure-minded. I had all the hopes and dreams of a life just starting again.
But when I opened my eyes again, I experienced another sensation. One of understanding. I heard the music through a different mind. I understood the meaning behind the words much better - both the joy and happiness as well as the pain and loss that the songwriters had expressed through their lyrics and sound. I realized that the songs I had sung so often I could sing them backwards I had really never understood emotionally. At the time I would have disagreed most heartily at this if someone had been able to point this out to me of course.
It was if the songs were new again to me again while still remaining old and trusted friends. It was a sensation I doubt I'll ever have again in my life.
So thank you Depeche Mode. Thank you for being the ones to help get me through my teenage years. Thank you for providing the soundtrack to that time in my life. And thank you for last night in which I was able, if only for a moment, to reconcile my clean, innocent young mind to my older wiser self and they both benefited from the experience.
When I was about 16 years old, I went to my first concert. It was Depeche Mode's Black Celebration tour. Now for those who don't know, Depeche Mode was MY band. If you knew anything about me, it was that I absolutely adored them. I dreamt of them, I plastered my room with posters of them, and sadly as a silly teenager I even had a picture of them next to my bed that I would kiss goodnight.
I went to this concert with one of my close high school friends, Delmar. A series of unfortunate events accompanied this trip to the Park City event. The person who was supposed to drive Del and I there (as my mom and step-dad were on their way to Wyoming with the rest of my family) had the wrong date written down and was a no show when we showed up at her house.
I made the decision to drive us in an unreliable car (actually that described ALL of our cars at the time come to think of it). In my naivete, I filled the car with unleaded when it took leaded. It didn't permanently damage the car, but it did make it die half-way to Park City. We ended up getting it towed the rest of the way and we attended the concert which was incredible.
However, after the concert was done, we were stuck there with few options of getting home. I was supposed to fly out to Denver to visit my dad the next day and my bags were in the trunk of the car in preparation of driving to Salt Lake City to catch a plane.
We ended up getting a hold of the daughter of my next door neighbors and she and her husband came and got us (and my luggage)and took us home. I called my uncle and asked if he would go and take a look at the car (since he's an awesome mechanic). He and his wife and a couple of his kids drove all the way up there where the car magically started up and worked fine.
Unfortunately, they were hit by a drunk driver on the way back and it totaled the car. Since I was not supposed to have taken the car in the first place, I got in a ton of trouble for the whole situation and was grounded for a very long time.
Despite all the problems, I still have good memories of this day and how great the concert was.
Back to the present day, my friend Delmar called me last week and asked if I would be willing to take a trip to the past. He asked if he could take me to the Depeche Mode concert which took place last night. He had box seats and so I reluctantly said yes...by jumping up and down and screaming for joy.
The ride up to Salt Lake this time was not fraught with peril or broken down cars. We didn't have to fight people off of us or put up with second hand pot smoke. Afterwards, the worst part of getting back was waiting to get out of the parking lot. But just the same, during the concert all I had to do was shut my eyes and I was sixteen all over again. I was naive and bright eyed and pure-minded. I had all the hopes and dreams of a life just starting again.
But when I opened my eyes again, I experienced another sensation. One of understanding. I heard the music through a different mind. I understood the meaning behind the words much better - both the joy and happiness as well as the pain and loss that the songwriters had expressed through their lyrics and sound. I realized that the songs I had sung so often I could sing them backwards I had really never understood emotionally. At the time I would have disagreed most heartily at this if someone had been able to point this out to me of course.
It was if the songs were new again to me again while still remaining old and trusted friends. It was a sensation I doubt I'll ever have again in my life.
So thank you Depeche Mode. Thank you for being the ones to help get me through my teenage years. Thank you for providing the soundtrack to that time in my life. And thank you for last night in which I was able, if only for a moment, to reconcile my clean, innocent young mind to my older wiser self and they both benefited from the experience.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Its been a long time since I rock and rolled....
I turn 40 next week.
Most people who know me well (and who've read my previous posts), know this.
Most of the people who know this and read this blog are younger than me.
Therefore, most people reading this have no idea what this milestone feels like.
I remember being a little depressed about the 25 and the 30. I don't remember any birthdays really being better or worse after 30 because of the state of mind I was in for those years.
This is a moment to reflect and ask myself what I've really accomplished in life. I've done some good things - like had two amazing kids and gotten a bachelors degree - and I've missed out on some things that I planned on doing - like getting my PhD and being married to someone who wasn't completely and only interested in his own needs.
So here's a list of things that I still need to get done before I die:
1. Get my PhD. I would like to continue in Psychology, but really I think there are some other things I would like to learn about that I might be happier doing. Since I work in a legal division of a MLM company, it might be interesting to get more training in the law. However, this also requires a lot of science knowledge so that might be something to consider as well.
2. Lose weight for myself and no one else. I don't want to be thin because I want to impress others. I want to do it for myself and because it will help me be healthier and live longer (which will be a benefit for the kids as well of course).
3. Become more spiritual than I have been in the past. I need more prayer and faith in my life. I tend to try to do things all on my own and forget that sometimes I need help until I'm really struggling.
4. Figure out what my faults are and correct them. I think I picked up a lot of bad habits out of self-preservation and defense over the past 10 years. I want to give those up and be true to who I really am. I want those who really have my best interest in mind to let me know what these are. :)
5. Find someone who really loves me for who I am and not what I can give him. This is not to say that I won't give, but only when I know that I can trust him. And I won't settle again for any schmuck who says pretty words and never follows through with them.
6. I need to learn how to let go of some things that have happened in the past that were really traumatic. I need to live more in the present and in the presence of those surrounding me instead of my thoughts from the past and those who have hurt me.
So those are my goals for the next 40 years. Stay tuned!
Most people who know me well (and who've read my previous posts), know this.
Most of the people who know this and read this blog are younger than me.
Therefore, most people reading this have no idea what this milestone feels like.
I remember being a little depressed about the 25 and the 30. I don't remember any birthdays really being better or worse after 30 because of the state of mind I was in for those years.
This is a moment to reflect and ask myself what I've really accomplished in life. I've done some good things - like had two amazing kids and gotten a bachelors degree - and I've missed out on some things that I planned on doing - like getting my PhD and being married to someone who wasn't completely and only interested in his own needs.
So here's a list of things that I still need to get done before I die:
1. Get my PhD. I would like to continue in Psychology, but really I think there are some other things I would like to learn about that I might be happier doing. Since I work in a legal division of a MLM company, it might be interesting to get more training in the law. However, this also requires a lot of science knowledge so that might be something to consider as well.
2. Lose weight for myself and no one else. I don't want to be thin because I want to impress others. I want to do it for myself and because it will help me be healthier and live longer (which will be a benefit for the kids as well of course).
3. Become more spiritual than I have been in the past. I need more prayer and faith in my life. I tend to try to do things all on my own and forget that sometimes I need help until I'm really struggling.
4. Figure out what my faults are and correct them. I think I picked up a lot of bad habits out of self-preservation and defense over the past 10 years. I want to give those up and be true to who I really am. I want those who really have my best interest in mind to let me know what these are. :)
5. Find someone who really loves me for who I am and not what I can give him. This is not to say that I won't give, but only when I know that I can trust him. And I won't settle again for any schmuck who says pretty words and never follows through with them.
6. I need to learn how to let go of some things that have happened in the past that were really traumatic. I need to live more in the present and in the presence of those surrounding me instead of my thoughts from the past and those who have hurt me.
So those are my goals for the next 40 years. Stay tuned!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
I usually don't do this but...
I need to refer those of you who see this blog and not the other one I contribute to.
Please go REALIZE here
Please go REALIZE here
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Most Secret
Taking a page out of my sister's book, I'm going to share some secrets as well. However, I'm not a very private person at all so these may not be a big surprise to anyone.
1. I think I missed my calling in life. I've always wanted to do conservation work. I especially love animals and in particularly sharks and think that it would be really cool to work with and study them. I'm disappointed that not many people in the world worry about keeping them around. Once my kids are grown, I want to find a job that allows me to take care of the earth.
2. I tell myself to shut up all the time. I hate a lot of the things that come out of my mouth.
3. I'm actually glad its my own voice in my head that chastises me though. It used to be someone else's. And that person used to tell me how stupid I was a lot. My own voice doesn't like what I say, but it doesn't call me stupid.
4. I'm afraid of dying. Desperately afraid. Not because I'm worried about the next life as much as I'm afraid for my children if I do.
5. I've always wanted to be a shy person. It feels like shy people act more mature and are respected for that.
6. I still don't know how to feel about my dad. I don't know whether to love him because we're so much alike or be angry with him for not doing more to have a relationship with me.
7. I feel gypped out of my 30's. They were wasted on someone that I don't think I ever truly loved. I cared about him, but I wasn't in love like I had been before with someone else.
8. I get angry sometimes that I wasn't allowed to marry the one person I was truly in love with. But to be honest, I don't know that it would have been the best thing for him. He's happy with his life now and that makes it better for me to have lost him.
9. I would give just about anything to be in my 20's again. Turning 40 scares me to death.
10. I know I'm really smart, but sometimes I worry that I think I'm smarter than I really am. I've learned a lot about my limitations in the past few years. I'm not sure if its because I'm getting older and have had children and its causing a strain on my brain or if I'm just getting wiser as to all of the things I really don't know.
11. I hate that I have a hard time letting some things go. I talk about some things obsessively and I wish I could stop.
12. I feel less sense of purpose when my kids are gone.
1. I think I missed my calling in life. I've always wanted to do conservation work. I especially love animals and in particularly sharks and think that it would be really cool to work with and study them. I'm disappointed that not many people in the world worry about keeping them around. Once my kids are grown, I want to find a job that allows me to take care of the earth.
2. I tell myself to shut up all the time. I hate a lot of the things that come out of my mouth.
3. I'm actually glad its my own voice in my head that chastises me though. It used to be someone else's. And that person used to tell me how stupid I was a lot. My own voice doesn't like what I say, but it doesn't call me stupid.
4. I'm afraid of dying. Desperately afraid. Not because I'm worried about the next life as much as I'm afraid for my children if I do.
5. I've always wanted to be a shy person. It feels like shy people act more mature and are respected for that.
6. I still don't know how to feel about my dad. I don't know whether to love him because we're so much alike or be angry with him for not doing more to have a relationship with me.
7. I feel gypped out of my 30's. They were wasted on someone that I don't think I ever truly loved. I cared about him, but I wasn't in love like I had been before with someone else.
8. I get angry sometimes that I wasn't allowed to marry the one person I was truly in love with. But to be honest, I don't know that it would have been the best thing for him. He's happy with his life now and that makes it better for me to have lost him.
9. I would give just about anything to be in my 20's again. Turning 40 scares me to death.
10. I know I'm really smart, but sometimes I worry that I think I'm smarter than I really am. I've learned a lot about my limitations in the past few years. I'm not sure if its because I'm getting older and have had children and its causing a strain on my brain or if I'm just getting wiser as to all of the things I really don't know.
11. I hate that I have a hard time letting some things go. I talk about some things obsessively and I wish I could stop.
12. I feel less sense of purpose when my kids are gone.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Xander is a future comic
The kids and I went over to Almond's house a few weeks ago to have dinner with her and her parents. She had made steaks for the adults and hot dogs for the kids. Xander of course made a mess of the catsup and it was all over his face and hands and shirt.
I turned to him and asked him to wipe a few layers of gross off of his face. I said "Let's don't act like you guys were born in a barn."
Xander thought about this for a brief moment then said "You mean like Jesus was?"
Touche Xander. Touche.
I turned to him and asked him to wipe a few layers of gross off of his face. I said "Let's don't act like you guys were born in a barn."
Xander thought about this for a brief moment then said "You mean like Jesus was?"
Touche Xander. Touche.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Things that do not make you a bad parent
1. Having a (just turned) 5 year old that can't write much more than his/her own name.
2. Having children share a bedroom (especially if they're under the age of 10).
3. Having these children take a bath together (still under the age of 10).
4. Letting your 5 year old watch t.v. (mostly education movies) or play on the computer (again, going to educational sites) or play on his/her DS without doing a ton of homework or chores first.
5. Moving again - because you are renting the house you're in and you want to buy a house instead.
Unfortunately, there are some people in the world (usually those who do not have children residing with them) who believe that this does make you a bad parent.
Let me point out some things that do make you a bad parent:
1. Abusing your children.
2. Not providing adequately for your children or putting your wants above their needs.
3. Being a lush or an addict.
4. Ignoring the kids.
5. Not doing whatever it takes to make sure that they are getting all they need (and maybe some of what they want).
I'm a damn good parent. (I don't say that out loud in front of the kids - that's cause I'm a damn good parent.) :)
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Its been a long time....
So I haven't updated in awhile. I'm surprised I haven't been chewed out about this. However, most of the people who read this I talk to pretty often as well so maybe its not TOO surprising.
I do need to have a bit of a rant though. A rant about Twilight. I will probably go on about this some more in another post, but here are some things that are bothering me about this book and the phenomenon its created.
**Warning - Spoiler Alert**
1. The first book is obviously written about a teen to be read by teens. The following books become less and less teenage-specific and more and more adult novels. This is bad because the teens are attracted to the story from the first book but in order to find out what happens are exposed to a story line that is more adult than I'd prefer my own kids reading even if they were teenagers.
2. Its not written all that well. But for some reason, several girls and women have ignored this fact and have fallen in love with the Twilight world. Granted, the story line is interesting to a certain extent (until its ruined in the fourth book) but its still not a superb series. Too many phrases are repeated throughout the books ("my favorite crooked smile" made me want to pull my hair out each time I read it). There are also a few gaps in the story that make me wonder who edited the stupid things. For instance, Alice tells Aro that he can let Bella go without killing her because of a vision she sees and shares with him. He indicates that her visions are sometimes faulty but she insists that this particular event (or events) WILL happen. What he saw is never explained and its not even plausible. In the fourth book, he has NO idea how or why Bella was turned into a vampire or else he would have know that Reneesmalwoeruoing (the crazy named daughter of Bella and Edward) was not a true vampire baby that he was so angry about. So what exactly did he see about her that made him decide to let her go without hurting her? Dunno. And that's a big problem for me.
3. The series is completely predictable. Except for the end in which you think something is going to happen...and then it doesn't. Predictability would have been preferable to that ending.
4. Grown women are falling in love with a man that COULD NOT POSSIBLY EXIST! Is he perfect in almost every way? Well, except for that little vampire problem, yes. This bothers me very much. Flawed characters are more interesting as well as believable. On top of this, in my opinion its not healthy for any woman to expect their significant other to be anything like Edward. Is there any normal looking woman who thinks that its a good thing for men to want to only marry super models? We women have to fight this thinking everyday, both with ourselves and with the male population. We don't like being told through the media and society that we're not good enough because we don't look as beautiful or that even though we're smart and witty and fun to be with its not good enough. Why should it be acceptable to do the same thing to men? They have a bit of this to fight with as well and to add Edward to the pot just makes things worse. Human men (that actually exist) cannot possibly live up to this standard. Its a bad lesson to teach girls that they will only be completely in love if their boyfriends act, look, and talk like Edward. Now can men take a few notes from Edward on how to treat a woman? Absolutely. If you men actually want to know what women want, please pay attention to how Edward treats Bella. But I don't expect any man to be able to be that perfect at all times no matter how in love he is with someone.
5. The movie was bad. It was poorly directed and poorly acted. I understand that there wasn't a big budget for it. But you'd think that with as big a hit as the books were that just a bit more budget would have been given for this project. I don't have time to go over all the reasons it was bad except for one reason - skin should not make twinkling noises when the sun's light hits it even if it does sparkle. That's just stupid.
6. Even though the movie was obviously stupid, there are many MANY women who defend it! Ladies, I can appreciate the story line to a certain extent and this movie did NOT do it justice! I was actually looking forward to the movie because I wouldn't have to hear the constant dialogue of Bella's brain putting herself down and being ooey gooey about Edward and his stupid crooked smile. The first part was promising, but then it felt like the director gave up and said "We're gonna make a butt-load of money no matter how bad this is, so lets just not put a lot of effort into it, shall we?" The scene where Edward is turned into a vampire? Horrifyingly bad! Could it look more like a love scene between two men? No. It couldn't. It was that bad. Please don't defend this film to me ladies. I have a hard time continuing to respect your taste in film.
So there's my rant. I have more to say about it, but I'm tired. And unlike some fictional characters, I have to get up and go to work tomorrow, rain or shine.
I do need to have a bit of a rant though. A rant about Twilight. I will probably go on about this some more in another post, but here are some things that are bothering me about this book and the phenomenon its created.
**Warning - Spoiler Alert**
1. The first book is obviously written about a teen to be read by teens. The following books become less and less teenage-specific and more and more adult novels. This is bad because the teens are attracted to the story from the first book but in order to find out what happens are exposed to a story line that is more adult than I'd prefer my own kids reading even if they were teenagers.
2. Its not written all that well. But for some reason, several girls and women have ignored this fact and have fallen in love with the Twilight world. Granted, the story line is interesting to a certain extent (until its ruined in the fourth book) but its still not a superb series. Too many phrases are repeated throughout the books ("my favorite crooked smile" made me want to pull my hair out each time I read it). There are also a few gaps in the story that make me wonder who edited the stupid things. For instance, Alice tells Aro that he can let Bella go without killing her because of a vision she sees and shares with him. He indicates that her visions are sometimes faulty but she insists that this particular event (or events) WILL happen. What he saw is never explained and its not even plausible. In the fourth book, he has NO idea how or why Bella was turned into a vampire or else he would have know that Reneesmalwoeruoing (the crazy named daughter of Bella and Edward) was not a true vampire baby that he was so angry about. So what exactly did he see about her that made him decide to let her go without hurting her? Dunno. And that's a big problem for me.
3. The series is completely predictable. Except for the end in which you think something is going to happen...and then it doesn't. Predictability would have been preferable to that ending.
4. Grown women are falling in love with a man that COULD NOT POSSIBLY EXIST! Is he perfect in almost every way? Well, except for that little vampire problem, yes. This bothers me very much. Flawed characters are more interesting as well as believable. On top of this, in my opinion its not healthy for any woman to expect their significant other to be anything like Edward. Is there any normal looking woman who thinks that its a good thing for men to want to only marry super models? We women have to fight this thinking everyday, both with ourselves and with the male population. We don't like being told through the media and society that we're not good enough because we don't look as beautiful or that even though we're smart and witty and fun to be with its not good enough. Why should it be acceptable to do the same thing to men? They have a bit of this to fight with as well and to add Edward to the pot just makes things worse. Human men (that actually exist) cannot possibly live up to this standard. Its a bad lesson to teach girls that they will only be completely in love if their boyfriends act, look, and talk like Edward. Now can men take a few notes from Edward on how to treat a woman? Absolutely. If you men actually want to know what women want, please pay attention to how Edward treats Bella. But I don't expect any man to be able to be that perfect at all times no matter how in love he is with someone.
5. The movie was bad. It was poorly directed and poorly acted. I understand that there wasn't a big budget for it. But you'd think that with as big a hit as the books were that just a bit more budget would have been given for this project. I don't have time to go over all the reasons it was bad except for one reason - skin should not make twinkling noises when the sun's light hits it even if it does sparkle. That's just stupid.
6. Even though the movie was obviously stupid, there are many MANY women who defend it! Ladies, I can appreciate the story line to a certain extent and this movie did NOT do it justice! I was actually looking forward to the movie because I wouldn't have to hear the constant dialogue of Bella's brain putting herself down and being ooey gooey about Edward and his stupid crooked smile. The first part was promising, but then it felt like the director gave up and said "We're gonna make a butt-load of money no matter how bad this is, so lets just not put a lot of effort into it, shall we?" The scene where Edward is turned into a vampire? Horrifyingly bad! Could it look more like a love scene between two men? No. It couldn't. It was that bad. Please don't defend this film to me ladies. I have a hard time continuing to respect your taste in film.
So there's my rant. I have more to say about it, but I'm tired. And unlike some fictional characters, I have to get up and go to work tomorrow, rain or shine.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Friday, January 2, 2009
My Brother is the most Awesome!
For all of you who are not "in the know", my brother is a genius. The great thing about this is that he actually proves his geniusness all the time by doing things that take lots of brains and know-how.
One of the things he did for my blog is that all of my comments will now look different from everyone else's. (See below where I leave a comment) It may look extremely simple, but I watched the process and it took a lot of doing.
I love my brother. He can do the coolest things ever! That's cause he is the coolest thing ever!
One of the things he did for my blog is that all of my comments will now look different from everyone else's. (See below where I leave a comment) It may look extremely simple, but I watched the process and it took a lot of doing.
I love my brother. He can do the coolest things ever! That's cause he is the coolest thing ever!
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