Yet another famous Princess Bride reference. I'm sure there will be many along the way. :)
A friend of mine at work revealed today that she is engaged, after only dating her boyfriend for four weeks. I certainly have mixed feelings about that, but what I think doesn't really matter. She's definitely been very happy throughout this last month, and if they're in love then who am I to judge. I just hope it's a somewhat long engagement.
But this situation does make me think about marriage and relationships in general. I'm in a very loving relationship right now with C, the best relationship I've ever been in I must say. We've been together for four years which is my longest relationship. And the way it began was not with any of the cliches like chills or fireworks or even flowers. Some of my previous relationships were full of that in the beginning, and they never got past the "honeymoon phase" of a couple months. At least they were good learning experiences.
C and I are both good conversationalists, and that's really what began our interest in each other. Sure, he was someone completely outside the realm of my small town, but we shared a similar interest in TV shows and movies, and of course, there was The Princess Bride. :) He has my same sarcastic wit and we traded barbs immediately. That showed me an intelligence beyond book smarts, although he has plenty of that as well being a physics major. But it was the ease of the conversations I most enjoyed, and after a couple of months we decided to try dating.
I consider our relationship to be a very realistic one. Sure, we had the honeymoon period at the beginning just like everyone else, where we wanted to spend every waking moment together, but after a while we settled into a comfortable rhythm. That's when we realized we had to be ourselves along with being part of a couple, which I think is a very important piece of a successful relationship. We can go off on our own and do our own thing, and still come back at the end of the day to talk about it.
It's these simple, yet not always so simple things, that I think make up a realistic relationship. Going out for burgers, watching a movie, arguing about the dishes, listening to music while discussing a recent South Park episode, that's what being part of a couple is on an everyday basis. It's not like in the movies where there's always something going on, or we fast forward five or ten years where the main characters meet up yet again. There's getting to know each other, and there's getting to know each other after you move in together. And sometimes, there's getting to know each other after getting married or having kids. Each of these stages can bring out aspects of the other person's personality you didn't even know existed. And it's the willingness to adapt to these subtleties that lets you know you really want to stay with that person.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that passion doesn't play a part in a realistic relationship because it REALLY does. :) I'm just saying that it's not enough to sustain a lasting one. It's easy to be enamored with someone; it's not always easy to remain that way for the long haul, nor it is an absolute necessity.
As long as my friend is willing to make things work when they eventually do hit rough times, then she'll know she's found "the one."
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
A 3-Year-Old Day
Today was a great day. I went to my niece's third birthday party, got some laundry and dishes done, and then C made me a delicious dinner of salad, buffalo chicken, and pesto pasta. I watched the Red Sox beat the pants off the Yankees 9-2, and now I'm catching up on my blog. It was a good mix of relaxing and checking things off my to do list.
My niece's birthday party sticks out in my mind as the most writable part of my day, simply because kids can be so delightfully entertaining, especially to those of us who don't have any. :)
There were 8 kids total at the party, with me being the only sane one, I mean, person without one. (Just kidding, all you parents out there, on the sane comment). :) This meant I was basically the only one without responsibilities, allowing me to fully observe the child dramas unfold around me (and be the first adult to eat!).
First there was my niece (we'll call her E), who either was unaware it was her party or was just not interested in her party. She and my other niece, (we'll call her J), spent a good chunk of time by themselves at the beginning in E's bedroom, playing with her Thomas the Train set. This prompted my sister to put on a Thomas DVD, cleverly drawing them out into the living room without any understanding of her exploitation of their love of Thomas. (Ah, the innocence of children). :)
That is, until, "the cup incident" occurred. J was collecting some of the plastic cups sitting around the coffee table, and I asked her if she would throw them away. She agreed, but then E decided that she, in fact, wanted to be the one to throw them out instead. Well, J wasn't having that so I suggested they throw them out together. But silly me forgot that this would involve them sharing in an activity, something the girls were still "practicing" every time they were in the same room. So instead, J gave one of the cups to E, who promptly did her "throwing out" by tossing the cup past J. That's when my brother-in-law came over to try and smooth things out between the two (since, as I said before, I had no responsibilities whatsoever). :) Pretty soon, everyone could hear the commotion over these plastic cups, and my sister, in her infinite wisdom and obvious oblivion to the situation, said from the kitchen, "You can both throw them away." Yeah, uh, we TRIED that already. But as children are prone to do, E quickly dropped the subject after her father told her she couldn't have any cups if she was just going to throw them, and she and J wandered away like nothing had ever happened. If only adult disputes could be settled so quickly (or forgotten that easily), with only minimal temper tantruming.
One of the cutest parts came when their friend, we'll say B, was watching over one of his sons, N. N, who seemed to be practicing for an upcoming marathon the whole time, was walking around with a crayon when he stopped in front of my sister's entertainment center. Slyly, he looked around to see if anyone was watching. All of a sudden we could hear B's voice off in the distance. "N, what are you doing?" N looked over at his father lovingly, smiled, and walked away. Bright boy. :)
The second cutest part also involved those two. While my sister opened E's presents (as I said before, she didn't seem too interested in her own party!), N slowly made his way through the crowd and over to the coffee table. I was looking at my sister and she was throwing something away, when all of a sudden N, the mini mountain climber, appeared at the top of the present heap in triumphant defiance of the numerous boxes that stood in his way. And just when he started his slide over the other side (apparently the climb up took everything out of him), B swooped in, snagged him by the back of the shirt, and lifted him over everything like a human helicopter. Priceless.
All in all, the birthday party was a big hit with the kids, especially when they received their goody bags and discovered a slinky among their prizes. You'd think they'd never seen a shiny, stretchy, piece of plastic that climbs down stairs before (although when we went to an arcade for my birthday, C had the same reaction when all of our tickets together were enough to purchase one, and he just had to try it on our back stairs since they curved). :)
I guess some things never get old.
My niece's birthday party sticks out in my mind as the most writable part of my day, simply because kids can be so delightfully entertaining, especially to those of us who don't have any. :)
There were 8 kids total at the party, with me being the only sane one, I mean, person without one. (Just kidding, all you parents out there, on the sane comment). :) This meant I was basically the only one without responsibilities, allowing me to fully observe the child dramas unfold around me (and be the first adult to eat!).
First there was my niece (we'll call her E), who either was unaware it was her party or was just not interested in her party. She and my other niece, (we'll call her J), spent a good chunk of time by themselves at the beginning in E's bedroom, playing with her Thomas the Train set. This prompted my sister to put on a Thomas DVD, cleverly drawing them out into the living room without any understanding of her exploitation of their love of Thomas. (Ah, the innocence of children). :)
That is, until, "the cup incident" occurred. J was collecting some of the plastic cups sitting around the coffee table, and I asked her if she would throw them away. She agreed, but then E decided that she, in fact, wanted to be the one to throw them out instead. Well, J wasn't having that so I suggested they throw them out together. But silly me forgot that this would involve them sharing in an activity, something the girls were still "practicing" every time they were in the same room. So instead, J gave one of the cups to E, who promptly did her "throwing out" by tossing the cup past J. That's when my brother-in-law came over to try and smooth things out between the two (since, as I said before, I had no responsibilities whatsoever). :) Pretty soon, everyone could hear the commotion over these plastic cups, and my sister, in her infinite wisdom and obvious oblivion to the situation, said from the kitchen, "You can both throw them away." Yeah, uh, we TRIED that already. But as children are prone to do, E quickly dropped the subject after her father told her she couldn't have any cups if she was just going to throw them, and she and J wandered away like nothing had ever happened. If only adult disputes could be settled so quickly (or forgotten that easily), with only minimal temper tantruming.
One of the cutest parts came when their friend, we'll say B, was watching over one of his sons, N. N, who seemed to be practicing for an upcoming marathon the whole time, was walking around with a crayon when he stopped in front of my sister's entertainment center. Slyly, he looked around to see if anyone was watching. All of a sudden we could hear B's voice off in the distance. "N, what are you doing?" N looked over at his father lovingly, smiled, and walked away. Bright boy. :)
The second cutest part also involved those two. While my sister opened E's presents (as I said before, she didn't seem too interested in her own party!), N slowly made his way through the crowd and over to the coffee table. I was looking at my sister and she was throwing something away, when all of a sudden N, the mini mountain climber, appeared at the top of the present heap in triumphant defiance of the numerous boxes that stood in his way. And just when he started his slide over the other side (apparently the climb up took everything out of him), B swooped in, snagged him by the back of the shirt, and lifted him over everything like a human helicopter. Priceless.
All in all, the birthday party was a big hit with the kids, especially when they received their goody bags and discovered a slinky among their prizes. You'd think they'd never seen a shiny, stretchy, piece of plastic that climbs down stairs before (although when we went to an arcade for my birthday, C had the same reaction when all of our tickets together were enough to purchase one, and he just had to try it on our back stairs since they curved). :)
I guess some things never get old.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Rain, Rain Go Away
I'm sitting here at work, with nothing to do obviously, listening to yet another friggin thunderstorm. Now I don't mind thunderstorms once in a while, they can be fun to watch when around other people, but for the most part they've just been a pain in the ass for me to drive in! And I checked out the forecast for this next week- guess what it said? Scattered thunderstorms, isolated thunderstorms, more stupid thunderstorms! I mean, all this rain is enough to make anyone go crazy.And I am.
We really lucked out for our NH trip, getting to swim in-between storms. But now it's like you can't plan anything outdoors because it's rain, rain, thunder, lightning, and more rain! I think Mother Nature is really PMSing this year, because it seems like we're getting crazy weather all over the country. She must be pissed about all this stuff going on with the ozone, and how we're destroying the environment.She's finally taking a stand and kicking our butts over our tragic handling of the planet.I hope recycling and hybrid cars and land conservation is enough to appease the mighty goddess, or else we're all screwed. The rain will be endless, the wind relentless, and the lightning, deadly. Dun dun dun.
(See what kind of weird shit I come up with when I have to write every day?) :)
We really lucked out for our NH trip, getting to swim in-between storms. But now it's like you can't plan anything outdoors because it's rain, rain, thunder, lightning, and more rain! I think Mother Nature is really PMSing this year, because it seems like we're getting crazy weather all over the country. She must be pissed about all this stuff going on with the ozone, and how we're destroying the environment.She's finally taking a stand and kicking our butts over our tragic handling of the planet.I hope recycling and hybrid cars and land conservation is enough to appease the mighty goddess, or else we're all screwed. The rain will be endless, the wind relentless, and the lightning, deadly. Dun dun dun.
(See what kind of weird shit I come up with when I have to write every day?) :)
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Why The Princess Bride Rules
Okay, so I REALLY have nothing to write about today. :) Therefore, I will explain to the world why The Princess Bride is the coolest, awesomest, best movie ever made.
First off, although it is your typical adventure story, each of the characters has his/her own quirky elements that make such a story atypical. The dashing hero is mostly dead for a day before saving his beloved. She almost destroys two of the few perfect breasts in this world. The evil prince can track a falcon on a cloudy day. The evil count has six fingers on his right hand. The bumbling boss thinks Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates are morons. The lovable giant only likes to kill people as god intended. And the expert swordsman hates waiting.
(Did I mention all the wonderful one-liners?). :)
With a delightful script, mostly read by a Jewish grandfather to his Fred Savage grandson, it's like we get a handful of fun stories in one. There's fencing, fighting, giants, escapes, true love, miracles (and I know there's more than that I just can't remember the whole line off the top of my head). It's a smorgasbord of all the best parts of movies rolled into one.
Not only that, it has one of the best revenge scenes I've ever seen, where Inigo Montoya gets the best of the six-fingered count who slaughtered his father. His most famous speech? "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." And when the count says he'll give Inigo anything he asks for, he wrenches that sword into the count's chest and replies, "I want my father back you son of a bitch." Pure poetry.
I must have seen this movie 100 times, with no exaggeration. Not only is it a great movie, but it's a great indication of whether or not I will like someone upon first meeting them. I only know one person who has never seen this movie, an ex-boyfriend of mine. When he told me he'd never seen it I thought, whoa. I shall have to remedy that. Since I own the movie we sat down and watched it one night, because I simply can't date someone who's never seen this movie. I told him a little bit about it, how charming it was, and how much fun we'd have watching it. But when the movie was over and I asked him, excitedly, what he thought of it, he said, "Eh. It was okay."
Okay? Okay?? I don't think so. We broke up about a year later (which was really a year too long).
Thankfully, all of my friends and most of my family are fans, and can recognize when I quote a line from the movie. But the best is my boyfriend, who either joins in when I start quoting or does his own quotes if the occasion calls for it. I told him at the beginning of our relationship that if all else fails, we'll always have The Princess Bride.
Oh yeah, and there's a Dread Pirate Roberts too. :)
First off, although it is your typical adventure story, each of the characters has his/her own quirky elements that make such a story atypical. The dashing hero is mostly dead for a day before saving his beloved. She almost destroys two of the few perfect breasts in this world. The evil prince can track a falcon on a cloudy day. The evil count has six fingers on his right hand. The bumbling boss thinks Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates are morons. The lovable giant only likes to kill people as god intended. And the expert swordsman hates waiting.
(Did I mention all the wonderful one-liners?). :)
With a delightful script, mostly read by a Jewish grandfather to his Fred Savage grandson, it's like we get a handful of fun stories in one. There's fencing, fighting, giants, escapes, true love, miracles (and I know there's more than that I just can't remember the whole line off the top of my head). It's a smorgasbord of all the best parts of movies rolled into one.
Not only that, it has one of the best revenge scenes I've ever seen, where Inigo Montoya gets the best of the six-fingered count who slaughtered his father. His most famous speech? "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." And when the count says he'll give Inigo anything he asks for, he wrenches that sword into the count's chest and replies, "I want my father back you son of a bitch." Pure poetry.
I must have seen this movie 100 times, with no exaggeration. Not only is it a great movie, but it's a great indication of whether or not I will like someone upon first meeting them. I only know one person who has never seen this movie, an ex-boyfriend of mine. When he told me he'd never seen it I thought, whoa. I shall have to remedy that. Since I own the movie we sat down and watched it one night, because I simply can't date someone who's never seen this movie. I told him a little bit about it, how charming it was, and how much fun we'd have watching it. But when the movie was over and I asked him, excitedly, what he thought of it, he said, "Eh. It was okay."
Okay? Okay?? I don't think so. We broke up about a year later (which was really a year too long).
Thankfully, all of my friends and most of my family are fans, and can recognize when I quote a line from the movie. But the best is my boyfriend, who either joins in when I start quoting or does his own quotes if the occasion calls for it. I told him at the beginning of our relationship that if all else fails, we'll always have The Princess Bride.
Oh yeah, and there's a Dread Pirate Roberts too. :)
Monday, July 21, 2008
My Trip to NH
This happened to be one of those weekends where C and I actually went somewhere, and that somewhere was Fitzwilliam, NH. His mother and her boyfriend rented a cabin at Laurel Lake.
The ride down was great- very humid unfortunately, but with the windows down there was a slight breeze to offset the bright sun. Now, when we first came upon the cabin, we had slight reservations about the structural integrity of the thing. But once inside, there was a nice sized kitchen and living room, with sliders out to the back yard and lake. Then upstairs there were three bedrooms, which basically took up most of the space except for a narrow hallway that led to the bathroom. But the downstairs was very open and it was a gorgeous day, so we had dinner with all the windows open and the sound of waves lapping up against the shore. It was lovely.
After dinner, C and his mom played Scrabble while we all watched Missing in America (his mom rented it). Good movie but depressing as hell! The rest of the night C and I watched TV and hung out in the back yard, enjoying the cool night air. We ended up driving home that night, since the beds were kind of small and it was pretty stuffy in the bedrooms. We have a king size bed, and it really is difficult to beat sleeping in that much comfort! :)
Anyway, we returned the next day, driving through a thunderstorm as we hit the NH border. But when we got to the cabin the rain had subsided, so we decided to go to the other side of the lake to visit two cabins that are owned by C's relatives. We met his mother's aunt and then jumped into the lake to go swimming (to try and get some in before the distant thunder reached us). The water was cold at first, but felt wonderful after a while, and I hung out on a floating dock while C, his brother, and their mom swam out to a rock grouping that you can stand on further out into the lake. I'm not the strongest swimmer, so floating in the sun was plenty fun for me!
Once I returned to the shore his mother's aunt asked if I wanted to go kayaking. I've only done it once before so I agreed. We went out in two small kayaks and rowed all along the shoreline, looking for painted turtles that sometimes sun themselves on smaller rocks down at the other end of the lake. We didn't see any, but we did see a beautiful loon diving in and out a short ways from us. We rowed closer, and the loon didn't even flinch. I imagine it's used to a large number of people hanging out in the lake on a regular basis.
After playing around in the lake for a couple of hours we stopped to get ice cream at the Depot General Store, which is one of those cute local businesses that has everything from convenience store items to movie rentals. We then went back to the cabin to change so we could go to a chinese restaurant called Typhoon Asia. As we got to the car the skies opened up and it started raining, lightly at first but growing in intensity the closer we got to the restaurant. But the food was delicious so it was totally worth the trip.
When we got back to the cabin we relaxed for a bit, working on a crossword puzzle together. But the rumble of thunder never truly went away, and pretty soon the entire sky was lit up, like someone had turned on the overhead light for the lake. We eventually had to close the sliding door because it became so windy the rain was blowing in on us sitting on the couch! The rumbling turned to booming claps and long drawn out thunder that echoed the length of the lake, so we decided to wait it out before returning home. We saw a small radar map on one of the channels that sort of came in on the TV, and it looked like the cluster of storms had passed. There was some yellow and orange spots south of us, but we didn't think we would hit too much of it.
Boy, were we wrong.
Three quarters of the trip I had my windshield wipers on high, and as we got closer to Worcester the storms got stronger. C could hardly hear himself talk over the pelting rain, and the lightning flashes were practically blinding. My knuckles were almost white (and I'm extremely pale to begin with so that's quite a feat!) by the time we pulled into the driveway. We were pretty much the GPS system for the storm, leading it right to our apartment where it ended about 10 minutes after we got home. It was just friggin fantastic.
But, as a whole, the weekend was a lot of fun, and it was a different place for a different experience. I haven't been out in a lake in a long, long time- it felt like summer camp! Hopefully there will be enough nice weekends throughout the rest of the summer where it won't be our last enjoyable outdoor activity.
The ride down was great- very humid unfortunately, but with the windows down there was a slight breeze to offset the bright sun. Now, when we first came upon the cabin, we had slight reservations about the structural integrity of the thing. But once inside, there was a nice sized kitchen and living room, with sliders out to the back yard and lake. Then upstairs there were three bedrooms, which basically took up most of the space except for a narrow hallway that led to the bathroom. But the downstairs was very open and it was a gorgeous day, so we had dinner with all the windows open and the sound of waves lapping up against the shore. It was lovely.
After dinner, C and his mom played Scrabble while we all watched Missing in America (his mom rented it). Good movie but depressing as hell! The rest of the night C and I watched TV and hung out in the back yard, enjoying the cool night air. We ended up driving home that night, since the beds were kind of small and it was pretty stuffy in the bedrooms. We have a king size bed, and it really is difficult to beat sleeping in that much comfort! :)
Anyway, we returned the next day, driving through a thunderstorm as we hit the NH border. But when we got to the cabin the rain had subsided, so we decided to go to the other side of the lake to visit two cabins that are owned by C's relatives. We met his mother's aunt and then jumped into the lake to go swimming (to try and get some in before the distant thunder reached us). The water was cold at first, but felt wonderful after a while, and I hung out on a floating dock while C, his brother, and their mom swam out to a rock grouping that you can stand on further out into the lake. I'm not the strongest swimmer, so floating in the sun was plenty fun for me!
Once I returned to the shore his mother's aunt asked if I wanted to go kayaking. I've only done it once before so I agreed. We went out in two small kayaks and rowed all along the shoreline, looking for painted turtles that sometimes sun themselves on smaller rocks down at the other end of the lake. We didn't see any, but we did see a beautiful loon diving in and out a short ways from us. We rowed closer, and the loon didn't even flinch. I imagine it's used to a large number of people hanging out in the lake on a regular basis.
After playing around in the lake for a couple of hours we stopped to get ice cream at the Depot General Store, which is one of those cute local businesses that has everything from convenience store items to movie rentals. We then went back to the cabin to change so we could go to a chinese restaurant called Typhoon Asia. As we got to the car the skies opened up and it started raining, lightly at first but growing in intensity the closer we got to the restaurant. But the food was delicious so it was totally worth the trip.
When we got back to the cabin we relaxed for a bit, working on a crossword puzzle together. But the rumble of thunder never truly went away, and pretty soon the entire sky was lit up, like someone had turned on the overhead light for the lake. We eventually had to close the sliding door because it became so windy the rain was blowing in on us sitting on the couch! The rumbling turned to booming claps and long drawn out thunder that echoed the length of the lake, so we decided to wait it out before returning home. We saw a small radar map on one of the channels that sort of came in on the TV, and it looked like the cluster of storms had passed. There was some yellow and orange spots south of us, but we didn't think we would hit too much of it.
Boy, were we wrong.
Three quarters of the trip I had my windshield wipers on high, and as we got closer to Worcester the storms got stronger. C could hardly hear himself talk over the pelting rain, and the lightning flashes were practically blinding. My knuckles were almost white (and I'm extremely pale to begin with so that's quite a feat!) by the time we pulled into the driveway. We were pretty much the GPS system for the storm, leading it right to our apartment where it ended about 10 minutes after we got home. It was just friggin fantastic.
But, as a whole, the weekend was a lot of fun, and it was a different place for a different experience. I haven't been out in a lake in a long, long time- it felt like summer camp! Hopefully there will be enough nice weekends throughout the rest of the summer where it won't be our last enjoyable outdoor activity.
Friday, July 18, 2008
The Dark Delight
For me, a truly exceptional movie is when I am willing to pay $10 to see it again in the theater. Iron Man was the first of those movies for me this summer, and The Dark Knight is the second.
What a fantastic film. We sat through the credits in case there was something at the very end, but it also allowed me to come down from the powerful catharsis I felt once the movie was over (and no, powerful is not an exaggeration). It was the perfect follow-up to Batman Begins, a movie I felt was excellent and difficult to top. I guess Christopher Nolan was prepared to do just that.
It starts out with a great robbery scene that sets up the type of Joker we can expect throughout the rest of the movie- twisted, maniacal, inhuman, and seemingly well prepared amidst the chaos he inflicts upon Gotham City. He explains that his villainy is unlike most- it's not for money or power or fame. He's simply there to hold a mirror up to the people so they can see how out of control the world is, and how much of that is out of their hands.
But of course, there's Batman, played by Christian Bale, who really shares the starring role with Heath Ledger, who plays the Joker. It's a cat and mouse game, with the Joker seemingly holding all the cards (pun completely intended) until Batman reveals his true identity to Gotham. At this point the city residents are unsure of what to make of Batman, as is the fate of any misunderstood, dark superhero, and they feel he should pay for the Joker's wrath.
As the story unfolds, we see both good and evil in those who were sworn to serve and protect the people, Gotham's police force. There are dirty cops of course, and then there's District Attorney Harvey Dent, who brings down mob forces by the dozens. This leaves Batman wondering whether his services will be needed at all, now that the public has a favorable hero they can look to for help and justice.
But, as we all know, Dent eventually becomes Two Face, and his sense of justice turns like the flip of a coin. The Joker is able to reach right into the best of Gotham and manipulate their good intentions, turning morality into rage and justice into vengeance.
That is, until he's finally able to wrestle the demons surrounding Batman. The Joker even tells him, "You complete me," a statement from Jerry Maguire that's obviously taunting him, but at the same time holds plenty of truth to it. As the Joker explains, his chaos would be incomplete without Batman to restore the natural balance of things. Without good there would be no evil- you must have both sides of the spectrum for both to exist, and the Joker is not so insane that he doesn't realize this. This is the concept the Joker thrives on and why wants to continue to play with Batman. On the flip side, this idea allows the decent side of Batman, his sense of right and wrong, to shine through in his eventual treatment of the Joker.
The movie basically boils down to two things- a great script and great acting. Bale picks up right where he left off with Batman, playing him with the delicate balance of darkness and brooding, while continuing the playboy persona of Bruce Wayne. Michael Caine returns as the ultimate Alfred, and Morgan Freeman reprises his role as Lucius Fox, with even more fun gadgets and gizmos for Batman to try out. Aaron Eckhart plays Dent with ease, even though he undergoes the most transformation in the movie, and Gary Oldman is back as Lt. James Gordon, struggling to combine his forces with the force that is Batman.
And I know this has been said many times since the previews for Batman broke, but Ledger really is outstanding in this film. He is successfully creepy and unnerving, and he takes the Joker character to new heights. He is the true definition of a terrorist in today's society, one who focuses on the downfall of humanity, and Ledger plays him as such. It's unfair to compare him to previous actors who have played the Joker, simply because those movies were done in a completely different light. These more recent films take the lightness out of the story, and replace it with a darkness that goes beyond shadows and into the murky abyss of human morality.
Oh, and the action sequences were really kick-ass too. :)
I'll admit, I went into Iron Man with fairly low expectations, and was blown away by the complexity of its storyline and the acting by Robert Downey, Jr. But in this case, with all the hype surrounding the film, I went into The Dark Knight with the highest of expectations, and was blown away. That's a much more difficult thing to do.
What a fantastic film. We sat through the credits in case there was something at the very end, but it also allowed me to come down from the powerful catharsis I felt once the movie was over (and no, powerful is not an exaggeration). It was the perfect follow-up to Batman Begins, a movie I felt was excellent and difficult to top. I guess Christopher Nolan was prepared to do just that.
It starts out with a great robbery scene that sets up the type of Joker we can expect throughout the rest of the movie- twisted, maniacal, inhuman, and seemingly well prepared amidst the chaos he inflicts upon Gotham City. He explains that his villainy is unlike most- it's not for money or power or fame. He's simply there to hold a mirror up to the people so they can see how out of control the world is, and how much of that is out of their hands.
But of course, there's Batman, played by Christian Bale, who really shares the starring role with Heath Ledger, who plays the Joker. It's a cat and mouse game, with the Joker seemingly holding all the cards (pun completely intended) until Batman reveals his true identity to Gotham. At this point the city residents are unsure of what to make of Batman, as is the fate of any misunderstood, dark superhero, and they feel he should pay for the Joker's wrath.
As the story unfolds, we see both good and evil in those who were sworn to serve and protect the people, Gotham's police force. There are dirty cops of course, and then there's District Attorney Harvey Dent, who brings down mob forces by the dozens. This leaves Batman wondering whether his services will be needed at all, now that the public has a favorable hero they can look to for help and justice.
But, as we all know, Dent eventually becomes Two Face, and his sense of justice turns like the flip of a coin. The Joker is able to reach right into the best of Gotham and manipulate their good intentions, turning morality into rage and justice into vengeance.
That is, until he's finally able to wrestle the demons surrounding Batman. The Joker even tells him, "You complete me," a statement from Jerry Maguire that's obviously taunting him, but at the same time holds plenty of truth to it. As the Joker explains, his chaos would be incomplete without Batman to restore the natural balance of things. Without good there would be no evil- you must have both sides of the spectrum for both to exist, and the Joker is not so insane that he doesn't realize this. This is the concept the Joker thrives on and why wants to continue to play with Batman. On the flip side, this idea allows the decent side of Batman, his sense of right and wrong, to shine through in his eventual treatment of the Joker.
The movie basically boils down to two things- a great script and great acting. Bale picks up right where he left off with Batman, playing him with the delicate balance of darkness and brooding, while continuing the playboy persona of Bruce Wayne. Michael Caine returns as the ultimate Alfred, and Morgan Freeman reprises his role as Lucius Fox, with even more fun gadgets and gizmos for Batman to try out. Aaron Eckhart plays Dent with ease, even though he undergoes the most transformation in the movie, and Gary Oldman is back as Lt. James Gordon, struggling to combine his forces with the force that is Batman.
And I know this has been said many times since the previews for Batman broke, but Ledger really is outstanding in this film. He is successfully creepy and unnerving, and he takes the Joker character to new heights. He is the true definition of a terrorist in today's society, one who focuses on the downfall of humanity, and Ledger plays him as such. It's unfair to compare him to previous actors who have played the Joker, simply because those movies were done in a completely different light. These more recent films take the lightness out of the story, and replace it with a darkness that goes beyond shadows and into the murky abyss of human morality.
Oh, and the action sequences were really kick-ass too. :)
I'll admit, I went into Iron Man with fairly low expectations, and was blown away by the complexity of its storyline and the acting by Robert Downey, Jr. But in this case, with all the hype surrounding the film, I went into The Dark Knight with the highest of expectations, and was blown away. That's a much more difficult thing to do.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
The All Star game
Wow, what a crazy game last night! The funny thing is I didn't start watching it until the 6th inning, but because it went to 15 I got to watch a complete game. :)
Of course, the one thing that bothered me was the nonsense over Jonathan Papelbon pitching. I mean, the name calling was one thing and of course, completely unnecessary seeing as Papelbon and Rivera were on the SAME TEAM! But then I read a couple of articles online that said Papelbon's pregnant wife received death threats during the parade. Come on! How ridiculous is that! It's a game people, and the players are human beings just like the rest of us. They're not machines, they're people with lives who deserve to be treated as such. Celebrities, including sports figures, are always treated like they're from another planet just because they're well known. This gives some people the feeling that they can just toss out threats like it's nothing.
Now I'll admit, you hear plenty of profanities at Fenway Park, and they boo players of other teams just as much as Yankees fans. But I have never seen a baseball cap go up in flames at Fenway. I've seen it, twice, at Yankee Stadium.
This is what ruins a game for me. I understand Rivera is a cherished player (to say the least as seen from last night!) for Yankees fans, and of course they will create a kind of rivalry between him and Papelbon. But to go to the extreme of threatening him or his wife during the All Star game? Please. Some people have no class.
And on a side note, to say that Papelbon is overrated is just bullshit. I mean, he's fairly new to professional baseball and he's already THIS good? Rivera has made a career out of being an excellent closer, and Papelbon is already well on his way to the same distinction. I think the Yankees fans are just sore that they haven't won a World Series since 2000, while the Sox have won two. :)
In the same vein, I believe it was JD Drew, a Red Sox player, who took home the MVP trophy last night. Enough said.
Of course, the one thing that bothered me was the nonsense over Jonathan Papelbon pitching. I mean, the name calling was one thing and of course, completely unnecessary seeing as Papelbon and Rivera were on the SAME TEAM! But then I read a couple of articles online that said Papelbon's pregnant wife received death threats during the parade. Come on! How ridiculous is that! It's a game people, and the players are human beings just like the rest of us. They're not machines, they're people with lives who deserve to be treated as such. Celebrities, including sports figures, are always treated like they're from another planet just because they're well known. This gives some people the feeling that they can just toss out threats like it's nothing.
Now I'll admit, you hear plenty of profanities at Fenway Park, and they boo players of other teams just as much as Yankees fans. But I have never seen a baseball cap go up in flames at Fenway. I've seen it, twice, at Yankee Stadium.
This is what ruins a game for me. I understand Rivera is a cherished player (to say the least as seen from last night!) for Yankees fans, and of course they will create a kind of rivalry between him and Papelbon. But to go to the extreme of threatening him or his wife during the All Star game? Please. Some people have no class.
And on a side note, to say that Papelbon is overrated is just bullshit. I mean, he's fairly new to professional baseball and he's already THIS good? Rivera has made a career out of being an excellent closer, and Papelbon is already well on his way to the same distinction. I think the Yankees fans are just sore that they haven't won a World Series since 2000, while the Sox have won two. :)
In the same vein, I believe it was JD Drew, a Red Sox player, who took home the MVP trophy last night. Enough said.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Missed a Day
Ok, so I missed a day already. Sue me. :)
I worked a full shift yesterday, which means I didn't get home until 12:30. Then I was hungry, so my boyfriend (who has asked me to not put his name on a public blog on the Internet, so I'll call him C, just like I'm D. That way I can stop saying "my boyfriend" all the time), and I got some late night food. That's one thing about living in a city- even when I work until midnight, there are a number of places that still deliver. It hasn't been too great on my figure, but I'm working on that!
Anyway, so we ate a late dinner and then watched Weeds and The Secret Diary of a Call Girl. I'm not sure why we watch that show, it's really just mindless TV with the same kind of situations over and over again dealing with a call girl and her clients. The only reason we started watching it is because it stars Billie Piper, who played Rose on the Doctor Who series. Of course, there's plenty of T & A as well, which is probably one reason why C continues to watch it. But I digress. :)
Then after our Showtime shows, we watched a couple episodes of this cartoon called the Venture Brothers. My brother-in-law recommended it to us and it's pretty funny. I like a lot of stuff they have on the Cartoon Network for adult swim. It's generally a bit edgier, although Venture Brothers is just plain fun.
And that was pretty much my day yesterday. Made some money, ate some food, watched some TV, went to bed. Welcome to a typical day the D way.
I worked a full shift yesterday, which means I didn't get home until 12:30. Then I was hungry, so my boyfriend (who has asked me to not put his name on a public blog on the Internet, so I'll call him C, just like I'm D. That way I can stop saying "my boyfriend" all the time), and I got some late night food. That's one thing about living in a city- even when I work until midnight, there are a number of places that still deliver. It hasn't been too great on my figure, but I'm working on that!
Anyway, so we ate a late dinner and then watched Weeds and The Secret Diary of a Call Girl. I'm not sure why we watch that show, it's really just mindless TV with the same kind of situations over and over again dealing with a call girl and her clients. The only reason we started watching it is because it stars Billie Piper, who played Rose on the Doctor Who series. Of course, there's plenty of T & A as well, which is probably one reason why C continues to watch it. But I digress. :)
Then after our Showtime shows, we watched a couple episodes of this cartoon called the Venture Brothers. My brother-in-law recommended it to us and it's pretty funny. I like a lot of stuff they have on the Cartoon Network for adult swim. It's generally a bit edgier, although Venture Brothers is just plain fun.
And that was pretty much my day yesterday. Made some money, ate some food, watched some TV, went to bed. Welcome to a typical day the D way.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Lazy Sunday (sort of)
Today was a fairly boring day, which I admit I absolutely love. I did dishes, watched the Red Sox beat the Orioles, did a little grocery shopping, and caught up on email. These days are the best because, for me, weekends are supposed to be laid back and peaceful. I don't travel a lot by some people's standards or even take a lot of day trips. There are those who don't understand my joy of sleeping in until the afternoon and lazing around on the couch while the sun is shining. But give me a good book, a good show, a good game, or a good conversation, and I'll have a good time going nowhere. :)
Now, that's not to say I do nothing EVERY weekend. I mean, how boring would I be? But my ideal vacation does not include getting up at the ass crack of dawn, no matter how many new things I would get to see that day. You can always go back, I say, and it's a great excuse to go back.
I think some people may actually miss out on things, simply because they didn't slow down and breathe in the richness of simply being alive. I don't have to go anywhere for that.
Now, that's not to say I do nothing EVERY weekend. I mean, how boring would I be? But my ideal vacation does not include getting up at the ass crack of dawn, no matter how many new things I would get to see that day. You can always go back, I say, and it's a great excuse to go back.
I think some people may actually miss out on things, simply because they didn't slow down and breathe in the richness of simply being alive. I don't have to go anywhere for that.
Hellboy 2- My Review
I'll start by saying that I'm not a huge Hellboy fan. I only just saw the first movie a few days ago, and I thought it was cute. So I've never been a cult classic fan of the series or anything. As I said, I thought the first movie was good, just not AWESOME as some people I know had told me it was. (These people are big Hellboy fans by the way).
With that said, I enjoyed the second movie more than the first. It's a typical action-packed summer entertainment movie, with great special effects and puppetry. It reminded me of The Labyrinth, and you can totally tell it's directed by the same guy who did Pan's Labyrinth. It just has that magical quality to it that's not contrived.
I enjoyed the Hellboy character from the start and Ron Perlman completely embodies him. I thought the character of his girlfriend, Liz, however, was a bit weaker in this film, which is ironic since she has more control over her power than in the first movie. But Abe is still as charming as ever and we get to see more depth in his character, especially during a charming scene with Hellboy where they both sing a Barry Manilow song. Priceless.
Oh yeah, and they bring a new character monster into this one, Krauss, who adds a breath of fresh air (literally) to the already established posse. I thought one of my friends was going to skyrocket out of his seat when Krauss came onscreen, as apparently he's one of his favorite characters in the series.
Even though there are a couple of cheesy moments scattered throughout the movie, and a bad guy who, despite his kick-ass martial arts moves sounds like he should be surfing, overall I found the movie quite enjoyable. This time around seemed a bit funnier with more heart mixed in among the grandiose action sequences (which are definitely cool to watch on the big screen!). I think non Hellboy fans will thoroughly enjoy it, and Hellboy fans will swoon. :)
With that said, I enjoyed the second movie more than the first. It's a typical action-packed summer entertainment movie, with great special effects and puppetry. It reminded me of The Labyrinth, and you can totally tell it's directed by the same guy who did Pan's Labyrinth. It just has that magical quality to it that's not contrived.
I enjoyed the Hellboy character from the start and Ron Perlman completely embodies him. I thought the character of his girlfriend, Liz, however, was a bit weaker in this film, which is ironic since she has more control over her power than in the first movie. But Abe is still as charming as ever and we get to see more depth in his character, especially during a charming scene with Hellboy where they both sing a Barry Manilow song. Priceless.
Oh yeah, and they bring a new character monster into this one, Krauss, who adds a breath of fresh air (literally) to the already established posse. I thought one of my friends was going to skyrocket out of his seat when Krauss came onscreen, as apparently he's one of his favorite characters in the series.
Even though there are a couple of cheesy moments scattered throughout the movie, and a bad guy who, despite his kick-ass martial arts moves sounds like he should be surfing, overall I found the movie quite enjoyable. This time around seemed a bit funnier with more heart mixed in among the grandiose action sequences (which are definitely cool to watch on the big screen!). I think non Hellboy fans will thoroughly enjoy it, and Hellboy fans will swoon. :)
Friday, July 11, 2008
Scuti cleopatra
Well, it finally happened. I saw a house centipede in my apartment last night.
Even though I've been expecting this moment ever since I moved here, I was hoping it would never come. You see, I had one (or maybe it was just numerous ones that all looked the same) in my old apartment. It was the first time I'd ever encountered such a freaky looking bug, and I had no idea what it even was. Thankfully the Internet is a wonderful tool.
First of all, it's scientific name is Scutigera coleoptrata, which is why my boyfriend and I so cleverly named it Scuti Cleopatra, Scuti for short. According to various web sites, this bug is not dangerous or harmful to humans, since the critters generally stay away from those who would squash them on-site. Of course I was relieved by this, not only for my sake but also for my cat who loves to chase stringy objects. With this bug's many long legs I was afraid she would think it was a new toy and attack, leaving Scuti no other choice but to defend itself. But the only thing I've seen it do is run away (or rather, wiggle away) very, VERY quickly. Oh, and it's also very talented in disappearing under things too.
This was all well and good until I got to the part of the web sites that said, "If you see one of these bugs, there are usually many more hidden." Great. A Scuti mobile home park right here in my apartment.
Now, when I moved to where I am today, I was really hoping that Scuti and his family would stay right where they were. You see, I had a storage closet where I was able to keep all my boxes from my original move which, in theory, was a great solution to needing boxes when I moved again. However, it also created a mini playground for Scuti and the rest of his kind to hang out and roam freely without being seen. So when I began packing, I was constantly checking the boxes to see if there were any stowaways. When I got to the new place, I did the same thing as I unpacked. Thankfully, no Scutis.
But of course, as my boyfriend so annoyingly pointed out to me after my sighting last night, Scutis exist all over the place, not just in my last apartment. It was only a matter of time before some of Scuti's extended family found their way into our home. Damn it.
So now I'm trying to find a way to co-exist peacefully with Scuti 2, a daunting process considering my immense dislike of the things. But my boyfriend also pointed out that Scutis eat other bugs that we don't want in the apartment, making my acceptance of them a bit easier.
I just wish I didn't have to see our little exterminator in action.
Even though I've been expecting this moment ever since I moved here, I was hoping it would never come. You see, I had one (or maybe it was just numerous ones that all looked the same) in my old apartment. It was the first time I'd ever encountered such a freaky looking bug, and I had no idea what it even was. Thankfully the Internet is a wonderful tool.
First of all, it's scientific name is Scutigera coleoptrata, which is why my boyfriend and I so cleverly named it Scuti Cleopatra, Scuti for short. According to various web sites, this bug is not dangerous or harmful to humans, since the critters generally stay away from those who would squash them on-site. Of course I was relieved by this, not only for my sake but also for my cat who loves to chase stringy objects. With this bug's many long legs I was afraid she would think it was a new toy and attack, leaving Scuti no other choice but to defend itself. But the only thing I've seen it do is run away (or rather, wiggle away) very, VERY quickly. Oh, and it's also very talented in disappearing under things too.
This was all well and good until I got to the part of the web sites that said, "If you see one of these bugs, there are usually many more hidden." Great. A Scuti mobile home park right here in my apartment.
Now, when I moved to where I am today, I was really hoping that Scuti and his family would stay right where they were. You see, I had a storage closet where I was able to keep all my boxes from my original move which, in theory, was a great solution to needing boxes when I moved again. However, it also created a mini playground for Scuti and the rest of his kind to hang out and roam freely without being seen. So when I began packing, I was constantly checking the boxes to see if there were any stowaways. When I got to the new place, I did the same thing as I unpacked. Thankfully, no Scutis.
But of course, as my boyfriend so annoyingly pointed out to me after my sighting last night, Scutis exist all over the place, not just in my last apartment. It was only a matter of time before some of Scuti's extended family found their way into our home. Damn it.
So now I'm trying to find a way to co-exist peacefully with Scuti 2, a daunting process considering my immense dislike of the things. But my boyfriend also pointed out that Scutis eat other bugs that we don't want in the apartment, making my acceptance of them a bit easier.
I just wish I didn't have to see our little exterminator in action.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
This is How I Blog
Hello. You can call me D.
This is my very first time blogging. As you can see from my profile I'm doing this to avoid writing something more difficult, such as a novel. Ever since college I've wanted to write a book and I thought, certainly by now, I would have. But unfortunately, the years go by so fast that my procrastinating self just can't keep up. Damn personality quirks.
That aside, a friend of mine who is an actual published author, suggested to me (actually, he told me I couldn't face him until I did this) that I start a blog. That way, I'll get into writing every day and hopefully become more disciplined in the field of writing, rather than the art of time suckage. (Don't give me credit for that one, I believe that's a ripoff from the movie Reality Bites. But I'd have to watch it again to make sure). Anyway, we shall see. :)
This is my very first time blogging. As you can see from my profile I'm doing this to avoid writing something more difficult, such as a novel. Ever since college I've wanted to write a book and I thought, certainly by now, I would have. But unfortunately, the years go by so fast that my procrastinating self just can't keep up. Damn personality quirks.
That aside, a friend of mine who is an actual published author, suggested to me (actually, he told me I couldn't face him until I did this) that I start a blog. That way, I'll get into writing every day and hopefully become more disciplined in the field of writing, rather than the art of time suckage. (Don't give me credit for that one, I believe that's a ripoff from the movie Reality Bites. But I'd have to watch it again to make sure). Anyway, we shall see. :)
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