I have been waiting for this moment for the longest time and on November 17th I was ready. My friends and I all got together and went out for a drink. Anticipating the movie, we kept singing the song "Mysterious Ticking Noise" from Potter Puppet Pals on YouTube. My favorite part is "Ron, Ron, Ron WEASLEY!" Anyway, I digress.
At 10:30pm, we lined up outside of the theatre and jumped up and down (mostly to regain heat since Kansas was down in the 20s that night) from giddiness. I just wanted in. Finally, the theatre opened the doors and we were in. Because it was so cold outside, the theatre let us in almost 2 hours prior to the midnight release in which we were very thankful for.
The lights dimmed and the previews started. We all became quiet and were hypnotized by the screen. The previews mattered very little. We were hypnotized by the fact that in 15 minutes, we would be seeing the first part of the greatest last movie in a series ever (in our opinion, of course). The WB logo flashed, and the entire audience fell into an eerie hush. The movie had started.
From the first minute, the movie was everything I had hoped for. Because the movie has been split into two sections, the first part was able to follow the book more closely than any other Harry Potter movie before it. The traveling scenes, in which I was actually worried would be too long and too boring, ended up being just what the movie needed. The characters were shown in different locations, walking and camping, but spent little time showing the progression of the traveling itself. This, in my opinion, was fantastic because the book became a bit slow during all of the traveling. I understand that this was to make the reader just as anxious and frustrated as the characters, but I felt like in the movie the characters portrayed this feeling without having to draw out the camping segments.
The dynamic between characters was also something that I had hoped would be better than the last few movies. I felt a different type of connection. It wasn't something that could be taken lightly. The trio's dynamics were intense and when they were sad, I was sad. When they were angry, I was angry. The overall feeling of the movie was there.
I'm definitely not very versed in reviewing movies, but I thought I had to put this up since it dealt with my favorite series of all time. I absolutely love the Harry Potter books and movies, and so this is something that I feel strongly about.
I hope to all who have seen it enjoy it and agree that this movie is the best that has been produced within the series. If you haven't seen it, get ready to be in love with the characters all over again.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
My Five Minutes with Tucker Max
Tonight I had the privilege to be in the presence of Tucker Max. For those who do not know him, Max is the author of I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell and most recently, Assholes Finish First. The books are a retelling of events that have actually happened to him, including everything from awful things he's done to women (mainly bizarre sexual experiences) to random really duchy guy things. In a single phrase, the man truly is an asshole if you just read the books, blog postings on his website (which are what the books originally are), and watch the movie version of his first book.
But when you meet him, it's totally different and exactly what you would expect.
I arrived at the Borders where the signing was to take three hours early. Apparently all the speculation on the Facebook event page was a load of malarkey. They started giving out wristbands to see the order of the line at 10 am, not six, and at four o'clock there were only 10 other people there. Altogether there were most likely 50-100 people there, and who was first in line when they called for line up at 6:30? You guessed it. Me.
As I stood there in line I looked around me, the majority of the people that were there were women, myself of course included. What drew all of these women to this event, nay to read his books in the first place? They all said the same thing. He's hilarious and I agree.
I personally got into Tucker Max at one of my lowest points in my life. I was never happy, I was very pessimistic, I hated everything, my life was literally falling to pieces around me. One day I happened across his book in the store and I read the sushi pants story in IHTSBIH. I have to this day laughed so hard throughout an entire book. Plus the fact that he straight up tells you he's an ass. He makes no apologies for who he is and completely honest, well unless he's trying to get you into bed. =) Now for the past four years I have been addicted to his hilarious and not so moral antics and I can't wait for more.
When he arrived at the store no one really knew it was him walking in until he started talking mainly because the pictures of him do not do him justice. He is soooo much better looking in real life than his photogenic self leads on. Also he's my height! (Which is short for a guy, but okay for me). I felt like a little kid on Christmas Eve waiting for to actually meet him. He was sooooo nice! He really is. He's so great to his fans. They actually took away the post-its for our names to be written in the book only so that we, the fans, could have more time with him when it was our turn!
He signed my books and exchanged small talk. He also poked fun at me because I said I was confused by Facebook after he asked how long I was there. What I really meant was I was confused by the people on the event page saying what time people should get there. But he was so cool and I was totally fangirling it wasn't even funny! When we were done, I started to veer off but then turned back to give him a hug which almost turned into a tackle. I just couldn't believe how happy was to see this guy! The only time I had ever been that happy was when I first saw my boyfriend and I was ecstatic then!
All in all the moral of this story, not all assholes are complete jerks and can be great guys too and Hi, I'm Lydia Hall and I am a Tucker Max fangirl! =D
But when you meet him, it's totally different and exactly what you would expect.
I arrived at the Borders where the signing was to take three hours early. Apparently all the speculation on the Facebook event page was a load of malarkey. They started giving out wristbands to see the order of the line at 10 am, not six, and at four o'clock there were only 10 other people there. Altogether there were most likely 50-100 people there, and who was first in line when they called for line up at 6:30? You guessed it. Me.
As I stood there in line I looked around me, the majority of the people that were there were women, myself of course included. What drew all of these women to this event, nay to read his books in the first place? They all said the same thing. He's hilarious and I agree.
I personally got into Tucker Max at one of my lowest points in my life. I was never happy, I was very pessimistic, I hated everything, my life was literally falling to pieces around me. One day I happened across his book in the store and I read the sushi pants story in IHTSBIH. I have to this day laughed so hard throughout an entire book. Plus the fact that he straight up tells you he's an ass. He makes no apologies for who he is and completely honest, well unless he's trying to get you into bed. =) Now for the past four years I have been addicted to his hilarious and not so moral antics and I can't wait for more.
When he arrived at the store no one really knew it was him walking in until he started talking mainly because the pictures of him do not do him justice. He is soooo much better looking in real life than his photogenic self leads on. Also he's my height! (Which is short for a guy, but okay for me). I felt like a little kid on Christmas Eve waiting for to actually meet him. He was sooooo nice! He really is. He's so great to his fans. They actually took away the post-its for our names to be written in the book only so that we, the fans, could have more time with him when it was our turn!
He signed my books and exchanged small talk. He also poked fun at me because I said I was confused by Facebook after he asked how long I was there. What I really meant was I was confused by the people on the event page saying what time people should get there. But he was so cool and I was totally fangirling it wasn't even funny! When we were done, I started to veer off but then turned back to give him a hug which almost turned into a tackle. I just couldn't believe how happy was to see this guy! The only time I had ever been that happy was when I first saw my boyfriend and I was ecstatic then!
All in all the moral of this story, not all assholes are complete jerks and can be great guys too and Hi, I'm Lydia Hall and I am a Tucker Max fangirl! =D
Friday, October 22, 2010
It Gets Better and Spirit Day
NYAGs wanted to take this time in order to address all of the recent awareness of bullying against gay people and bullying in general. We know that we're a bit behind schedule, but we thought something is better than nothing, even if it were a few days late.
In light of the recent suicides due to bullying, many YouTube stars, Celebrities and other people from all around the world have collaborated a video project called It Gets Better. The project is videos in which gay people (and some straight) provide their own stories and inspiring messages to those who are openly and closeted gay. These stories are a glimpse of the future; that perhaps these stories will give hope and the reassurance needed that bullying in school does go away and that these young people (and any people, really) should stay true to themselves, come out when they're ready, and know that there are people out there who love and care for them no matter who they are.
Because of this project which has hundreds of videos (including faces like Michael Buckley, Chris Colfer, Ellen DeGeneres and even President Obama), Spirit Day was enacted - a day to wear purple, commonly associated as the "gay" color, to remember all of those who have suffered and made it through to pass on their message and all of those who have suffered and never made it.
The fact that this even has to be an issue is heartbreaking. We all - straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, questioning, queer, what-have-you - should come together and embrace our likenesses rather than our differences. Our condolences go out to those families who have lost loved ones because of bullying or harassment in schools and other places, and to those who are struggling in finding who they are in a world that seems so un-accepting.
Further information can be found at:
ItGetsBetterProject via YouTube
The Trevor Project via Youtube
It Gets Better Project via Internet
The Trevor Project via Internet
Bullying is unacceptable in any form. Stop the hate.
In light of the recent suicides due to bullying, many YouTube stars, Celebrities and other people from all around the world have collaborated a video project called It Gets Better. The project is videos in which gay people (and some straight) provide their own stories and inspiring messages to those who are openly and closeted gay. These stories are a glimpse of the future; that perhaps these stories will give hope and the reassurance needed that bullying in school does go away and that these young people (and any people, really) should stay true to themselves, come out when they're ready, and know that there are people out there who love and care for them no matter who they are.
Because of this project which has hundreds of videos (including faces like Michael Buckley, Chris Colfer, Ellen DeGeneres and even President Obama), Spirit Day was enacted - a day to wear purple, commonly associated as the "gay" color, to remember all of those who have suffered and made it through to pass on their message and all of those who have suffered and never made it.
The fact that this even has to be an issue is heartbreaking. We all - straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, questioning, queer, what-have-you - should come together and embrace our likenesses rather than our differences. Our condolences go out to those families who have lost loved ones because of bullying or harassment in schools and other places, and to those who are struggling in finding who they are in a world that seems so un-accepting.
Further information can be found at:
ItGetsBetterProject via YouTube
The Trevor Project via Youtube
It Gets Better Project via Internet
The Trevor Project via Internet
Bullying is unacceptable in any form. Stop the hate.
Friday, October 8, 2010
"Whore-O-Ween"
As I sit here at work, obviously not doing work and obviously not studying for that midterm I have in 40 minutes, I began talking to my roommate who is trying to figure out what she wants to be for Halloween. [As a side note, we were all planning on going as the Wizard of Oz bunch - but because I couldn't find a lion costume that looked right, we're not doing that. Sad.] She linked me to a costume called the "Candy Corn Witch," and so I clicked it only to be directed to a picture of a girl scantily dressed in knee-high striped stockings, high heals, and a dress that hardly covers anything.
This isn't news to me. In my pursuit of many costumes to adorn on my adventures to our local bar joint in my six years at University, I have run across the ridiculous "costumes" that promise you witches and ghouls only to be staring at hardly clothed women in dresses that show off all the "goods." My pursuit of a lion costume even gave me this and not to mention the last thing I'd ever consider a lion costume.
Ugh. Even now, looking them back up to post here gets me angry. Since when did Halloween (or All Hallows Eve) become "dress-like-a-skank-o-ween?" Now, I'm not wanting to go about the debate of the Madonna versus the Whore theory - I've done that enough in my classes to understand that I'm making ASSUMPTIONS about these women dressed in these costumes because of how they're dressed and not for who they are. But my concern is this - if I make the assumption that these women are sexually promiscuous and the whore, won't everyone else?
I began to debate with my roommate that if she dresses in hardly any fabric on Halloween that she will be objectifying herself. She countered with "but I get free drinks." To which, after many seconds of me shaking my head, I responded: "Yes, but then, by definition, aren't you a prostitute? Whoring yourself out for goods?" Of course, I'm not calling HER a whore or a prostitute, but the definition states "a person who willingly uses his or her talent or ability in a base and unworthy way, usually for money" are prostitutes. However, in this case, it isn't money, per se, but rather alcohol. She then went on to argue that even when she dresses in jeans and a "cute" shirt, that she manages to get free drinks. And though I am guilty of looking and dressing nicer than I do when I'm walking around on campus in our bars, I certainly do not think to myself, "Hm. I wonder what clothing I could wear that would get me free drinks." [I'd like to note that I love my roommate. She's a fantastic person. We're just debating this!]
The thing that enrages me the most are that these "sexy" costumes for women are now starting to show up in the junior and child departments. Walk into any Halloween store and you will find a kid section. Take a moment and look at the difference between the boys costumes and the girls. Boys get to be awesome things like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (I won't even go INTO how the woman equivalent is displayed), and Optimus Prime, whereas young girls get to go as "Little Red Riding Hood" adorned with high heals, and a skin-tight corset top, or perhaps my favorite, the girls Can Can costume where the girl in the photo is even posed provocatively.
My questions to everyone are these - What happened to the era of bedsheets and rubber masks? And why must we objectify women and young girls for Halloween? It's ridiculous.
This isn't news to me. In my pursuit of many costumes to adorn on my adventures to our local bar joint in my six years at University, I have run across the ridiculous "costumes" that promise you witches and ghouls only to be staring at hardly clothed women in dresses that show off all the "goods." My pursuit of a lion costume even gave me this and not to mention the last thing I'd ever consider a lion costume.
Ugh. Even now, looking them back up to post here gets me angry. Since when did Halloween (or All Hallows Eve) become "dress-like-a-skank-o-ween?" Now, I'm not wanting to go about the debate of the Madonna versus the Whore theory - I've done that enough in my classes to understand that I'm making ASSUMPTIONS about these women dressed in these costumes because of how they're dressed and not for who they are. But my concern is this - if I make the assumption that these women are sexually promiscuous and the whore, won't everyone else?
I began to debate with my roommate that if she dresses in hardly any fabric on Halloween that she will be objectifying herself. She countered with "but I get free drinks." To which, after many seconds of me shaking my head, I responded: "Yes, but then, by definition, aren't you a prostitute? Whoring yourself out for goods?" Of course, I'm not calling HER a whore or a prostitute, but the definition states "a person who willingly uses his or her talent or ability in a base and unworthy way, usually for money" are prostitutes. However, in this case, it isn't money, per se, but rather alcohol. She then went on to argue that even when she dresses in jeans and a "cute" shirt, that she manages to get free drinks. And though I am guilty of looking and dressing nicer than I do when I'm walking around on campus in our bars, I certainly do not think to myself, "Hm. I wonder what clothing I could wear that would get me free drinks." [I'd like to note that I love my roommate. She's a fantastic person. We're just debating this!]
The thing that enrages me the most are that these "sexy" costumes for women are now starting to show up in the junior and child departments. Walk into any Halloween store and you will find a kid section. Take a moment and look at the difference between the boys costumes and the girls. Boys get to be awesome things like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (I won't even go INTO how the woman equivalent is displayed), and Optimus Prime, whereas young girls get to go as "Little Red Riding Hood" adorned with high heals, and a skin-tight corset top, or perhaps my favorite, the girls Can Can costume where the girl in the photo is even posed provocatively.
My questions to everyone are these - What happened to the era of bedsheets and rubber masks? And why must we objectify women and young girls for Halloween? It's ridiculous.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Smart Chicks Kick It Tour!
So I had the privelage of attending the Smart Chicks Kick It Book Tour yesterday. The Smart Chick Tour is a tour of Young Adult authors, mainly of the supernatural genre, getting together and talking shop and readers trying to squeeze precious information out of our favorite authors! On the leg of the tour that I attended tonight the lovely Melissa Marr (The Wicked Lovelies series), Holly Black (White Cat; Geektastic), Kelley Armstrong (Otherworld series; Darkest Powers series), Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instrument series), Sarah Rees Brennan (The Demon's Lexicon series), Alyson Noel (The Immortals series), and Kami Garcia and Margret Stohl (Beautiful Creatures, Beautiful Darkness)!!!
I of course was most excited to see Holly Black and Cassandra Clare, but the other wonderful ladies have swayed me into loving them and making me want to spend my next paycheck on all of their books!!
The panel was great and crazy exciting with swag flying every where at one moment and Holly Black running around the room with a mic for lighting round Q&A the next! The best part for me was the signing! I've never really have done a signing before unless you count the last time the wonderful Rachel Caine, author of the Morganville Vampire series, and I felt so bad because I haven't really read anything of hers except something in a Charlaine Harris anthology. But she was a gracious person and her signing was so much fun! She, by the way, will join the Smart Chicks later in the tour! But I digress, when it came to the signing I had my little poster for the girls to sign and my Cassie Clare books in tow. She was at the end of the line so I had to wait patiently while my lovely friend Cari (check out her blog she's has awesome giveaways and reviews!! It's really cool!) had the second half of her like twenty million books signed! The girls were here the night before in the Woodlands which is on the outskirts of Houston so Cari went there and then to the one tonight. So there she was, now I have been a HUGE fan of Cassie before the Mortal Instruments series from her fanfiction days, so I was psyched to meet her in person. She was great and fun to talk with and I actually got to fangirl about Simon with her! It was this fangirls' craziest dream come true! I loved it and how layed back she was. It was awesome and just fun all around! I can't wait for these ladies to come through town again!
To check out the site click here and see if they're gonna stop anywhere near you! The line up changes a little per city but the three constants are Kelley, Melissa, and Alyson. It's totally worth going to!!
I have pictures and as soon as I find a way to get them off my phone I will totally post them ASAP!!!
<3
~lydia
P.S: Links to these authors are in the side bar!! Check out their sites and read their books! They're awesome! Trust me! =D
I of course was most excited to see Holly Black and Cassandra Clare, but the other wonderful ladies have swayed me into loving them and making me want to spend my next paycheck on all of their books!!
The panel was great and crazy exciting with swag flying every where at one moment and Holly Black running around the room with a mic for lighting round Q&A the next! The best part for me was the signing! I've never really have done a signing before unless you count the last time the wonderful Rachel Caine, author of the Morganville Vampire series, and I felt so bad because I haven't really read anything of hers except something in a Charlaine Harris anthology. But she was a gracious person and her signing was so much fun! She, by the way, will join the Smart Chicks later in the tour! But I digress, when it came to the signing I had my little poster for the girls to sign and my Cassie Clare books in tow. She was at the end of the line so I had to wait patiently while my lovely friend Cari (check out her blog she's has awesome giveaways and reviews!! It's really cool!) had the second half of her like twenty million books signed! The girls were here the night before in the Woodlands which is on the outskirts of Houston so Cari went there and then to the one tonight. So there she was, now I have been a HUGE fan of Cassie before the Mortal Instruments series from her fanfiction days, so I was psyched to meet her in person. She was great and fun to talk with and I actually got to fangirl about Simon with her! It was this fangirls' craziest dream come true! I loved it and how layed back she was. It was awesome and just fun all around! I can't wait for these ladies to come through town again!
To check out the site click here and see if they're gonna stop anywhere near you! The line up changes a little per city but the three constants are Kelley, Melissa, and Alyson. It's totally worth going to!!
I have pictures and as soon as I find a way to get them off my phone I will totally post them ASAP!!!
<3
~lydia
P.S: Links to these authors are in the side bar!! Check out their sites and read their books! They're awesome! Trust me! =D
Monday, September 13, 2010
Bechdel Test
One of the coolest things I have gotten to do at my University is take a class in Graphic Novels. One of those novels was called "Fun Home" by Alison Bechdel, which portrayed a young girl coming to terms with her father's sexuality and her own. Many in my class snickered at the drawings portraying lesbianism, some even felt extremely uncomfortable or made jokes to "lighten the mood," but I found it to be unique and insightful.
Then, as I was beginning to write my final paper in the class, I started Googling authors of these novels for more background information and came across the Bechdel Test's website. This "test" is a movie rating system that deals with feminism and goes against what we consider "gender norms." The rules are as follows:
1. The movie must have two (named) women
2. that talk to each other
3. about something other than a man, finding a man, marriage to a man, etc.
What I find intriguing is not only the very small list of movies that fit this criteria, but how focusing on these three aspects can open up a whole new world for young(er) women who want to watch a movie that isn't all about love/marriage/etc. Most of my favorite movies don't meet this criteria at all (namely because most of my favorite movies have male leads).
I'm wondering if this rule, or test, could be used with literature as well? How many of my favorite novels would be considered "unfit" by this rule? It's an eye-opener on how gendered and biased our culture still is and how women are still being told to conform into the stereotypical gender roles. Just something to make you think about how our society has "evolved" to where we now sit.
Then, as I was beginning to write my final paper in the class, I started Googling authors of these novels for more background information and came across the Bechdel Test's website. This "test" is a movie rating system that deals with feminism and goes against what we consider "gender norms." The rules are as follows:
1. The movie must have two (named) women
2. that talk to each other
3. about something other than a man, finding a man, marriage to a man, etc.
What I find intriguing is not only the very small list of movies that fit this criteria, but how focusing on these three aspects can open up a whole new world for young(er) women who want to watch a movie that isn't all about love/marriage/etc. Most of my favorite movies don't meet this criteria at all (namely because most of my favorite movies have male leads).
I'm wondering if this rule, or test, could be used with literature as well? How many of my favorite novels would be considered "unfit" by this rule? It's an eye-opener on how gendered and biased our culture still is and how women are still being told to conform into the stereotypical gender roles. Just something to make you think about how our society has "evolved" to where we now sit.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
"Choosing Sides" and other news from Kansas State University
As some who read this might know, I'm from Kansas and attend Kansas State University (KSU). Here in Manhattan, the community is predominately conservative and/or Roman Catholic, and so many associate us with rural bible-thumpers or something close to it. However, what many don't realize is that we have some of the most liberal groups within our KSU community that do all sorts of wonderful things for our community and the people that belong to it. Normally, I wouldn't even glance at our school newspaper. It's definitely not something that I would consider "top-notch" reading material (I prefer bigger newspapers), but today the front page caught my attention.
I have heard, as most people have who pay attention to the news, of the Westboro Baptist church and Fred Phelps and his followers who protest against any and all things that have to do with homosexuality, the military and so on. Being from Kansas and having to share the beautiful state with a hate-group makes me angry, but also makes me inspired to become involved in a group or organization that proves that equality is the best way to go. Having this opportunity at hand, reading the collegian (our school's newspaper) about those who went out and protested against Fred Phelps' followers renewed my faith in our student body and the staff that went and supported them. The students and staff were protesting for the equal rights in the work force (because, unfortunately, Manhattan does not have anything enacted that allows for the non-discrimination based on sexual orientation). Today, I'm proud to be a Wildcat.
On the topic of homosexuality was another story in the collegian about a professor here at K-State who is an English and American ethnic studies professor who is currently writing a book about the two-spirited-ness of American Indians. I've never heard of the term before today, and so I was surprised to learn that two-spirited basically means (and I'm summarizing here) that the American Indian considers themselves gay or lesbian.
I've been fortunate enough to have this professor as one of my own professors last semester and she was fantastic. I'm looking forward to this book, not only to read about American Indians (as my heritage is a part of that ethnicity) but also to learn about how American Indians have viewed homosexuality throughout their existence. That is one area that I have never heard about until now, but have often wondered about.
Click here for the article on the non-violent protest against Fred Phelps' clan.
Click here for the article on two-spirited literature.
+Andi
I have heard, as most people have who pay attention to the news, of the Westboro Baptist church and Fred Phelps and his followers who protest against any and all things that have to do with homosexuality, the military and so on. Being from Kansas and having to share the beautiful state with a hate-group makes me angry, but also makes me inspired to become involved in a group or organization that proves that equality is the best way to go. Having this opportunity at hand, reading the collegian (our school's newspaper) about those who went out and protested against Fred Phelps' followers renewed my faith in our student body and the staff that went and supported them. The students and staff were protesting for the equal rights in the work force (because, unfortunately, Manhattan does not have anything enacted that allows for the non-discrimination based on sexual orientation). Today, I'm proud to be a Wildcat.
On the topic of homosexuality was another story in the collegian about a professor here at K-State who is an English and American ethnic studies professor who is currently writing a book about the two-spirited-ness of American Indians. I've never heard of the term before today, and so I was surprised to learn that two-spirited basically means (and I'm summarizing here) that the American Indian considers themselves gay or lesbian.
I've been fortunate enough to have this professor as one of my own professors last semester and she was fantastic. I'm looking forward to this book, not only to read about American Indians (as my heritage is a part of that ethnicity) but also to learn about how American Indians have viewed homosexuality throughout their existence. That is one area that I have never heard about until now, but have often wondered about.
Click here for the article on the non-violent protest against Fred Phelps' clan.
Click here for the article on two-spirited literature.
+Andi
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Why Gay Marriage is Bad -- Just wanna let you know, this is PRO gay marriage.
I know it's a "chain-mail" thing, but I couldn't help myself.
10 Reasons Why Gay Marriage is Wrong
01) Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.
02) Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.
03) Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.
04) Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.
05) Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britany Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.
06) Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.
07) Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.
08) Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.
09) Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.
10) Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.
Re-post this if you believe love makes a marriage.
+Andi
10 Reasons Why Gay Marriage is Wrong
01) Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.
02) Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.
03) Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.
04) Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.
05) Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britany Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.
06) Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.
07) Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.
08) Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.
09) Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.
10) Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.
Re-post this if you believe love makes a marriage.
+Andi
Monday, September 6, 2010
The Fine Bros. and 50 Book Spoilers in 4 mins!
SPOILER ALERT!!!! YOU ARE ABOUT TO GET THE ABRIDGED ABRIDGED VERSION OF CLIFF NOTES OF 50 BOOKS!!! Btw: Sub to these guys! They're awesome!!!!
~lydia
~lydia
Thursday, September 2, 2010
And this is why John Green is one of my heroes....
If you know Andi and I, you know that we LOVE the brothers Green (John and Hank). One writes awesome books and the other blogs about awesome green technology and all things green. So they have had this YouTube thing going on for like almost FOUR YEARS!! (can't believe I've been watching it that long!) So our beloved John was punished by his younger brother this week and this is what it was:
There's a link to the rest of their videos and more about John and Hank in the sidebar for you to check out!
DFTBA!!
~lydia
There's a link to the rest of their videos and more about John and Hank in the sidebar for you to check out!
DFTBA!!
~lydia
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Restart
Hello dear friend who will read this!
Since it's the time of year for fresh starts and new beginning I feel like it's a perfect time to relaunch this site. I'm going to be making some changes and playing around with stuff along with getting Andi back on board...I think I can. Hopefully...crosses fingers.... =D
The book/movie reviews will be coming back up constantly and of course lovely G.P.O.V. (Girls Point of View) reviews on all things geeky. XD
Basically I'm writing this blog to motivate me to do stuff! Life has been hectic right now and I find myself moving yet AGAIN!! ACK!!
In the meantime to hold you over I strongly suggest checking these guys out!
Click here to check out their YouTube Channel. And click here if you wanna follow them on Twitter!! They're really good friends of mine and really cool guys!!
So until next I post which will be soon! Don't fret!
~Lydia
Since it's the time of year for fresh starts and new beginning I feel like it's a perfect time to relaunch this site. I'm going to be making some changes and playing around with stuff along with getting Andi back on board...I think I can. Hopefully...crosses fingers.... =D
The book/movie reviews will be coming back up constantly and of course lovely G.P.O.V. (Girls Point of View) reviews on all things geeky. XD
Basically I'm writing this blog to motivate me to do stuff! Life has been hectic right now and I find myself moving yet AGAIN!! ACK!!
In the meantime to hold you over I strongly suggest checking these guys out!
Click here to check out their YouTube Channel. And click here if you wanna follow them on Twitter!! They're really good friends of mine and really cool guys!!
So until next I post which will be soon! Don't fret!
~Lydia
Sunday, May 2, 2010
2 Weeks.
This is Andi! Hola. Como Estas?
Due to dead week and finals week happening in the next two weeks (how many times can I say 'weeks'?), I'm going to be giving up the internet as much as possible (and reading for recreational purposes, sadly). Therefore, I will not be updating for about two weeks. I haven't spoken with Lydia yet, but I'm hoping that she'll be able to post a few to keep you all entertained!
Best of luck to all of those with finals!
-Andi
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Book review # 2 - Regeneration by Pat Barker
Hello everyone! Andi here. I figured why I have the time in between homework that I would update you all on a book. Now... which one to chose?
I'm going to do something that is not really my cup of tea (since I adore young adult fiction and fantasy fiction) but I really enjoyed the book!
Regeneration by Pat Barker is half fiction and half historical, using characters from Pat Barker's personal life to tell the gripping tale of S. Sassoon and Dr. Rivers and the Great War. I say gripping because once you begin this novel, I guarantee you won't put it down! Barker uses poetry and prose to relive the nightmares of shell-shocked soldiers held at Craig Lockheart mental hospital. With interesting relationships, romance, secrets and terror, Barker presents a tale that is all too real and chilling to dismiss.
The greatest thing about this book is how Barker presents the world between men and women and the questions we have in gender equality. There are women present within this novel, but they have jumped out of their stereotypes and entered into a brand new world that is being shaped by their contributions. While some men in Lockheart hospital take the traditional role of the male stereotype, others resort to a more feminine approach and so the lines in which our world has set themselves upon gender-wise becomes blurred in an intriguing way.
I definitely recommend going into this book with an open mind and you'll find that you love it!
Links for thought:
- Wikipedia entry on the author
- Wikipedia entry on the book
- Biography
- Amazon.com listings
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Challenge #1 - There's More to Poetry than Rhyme? What?
Let's do something a bit different this time around, shall we?
Raise your hands if you've ever been assigned poetry in a class and have either sighed with discontent, rolled your eyes, were discouraged, etc.? Yes, you have? Good, so have I. But there's something about poetry that I wasn't aware of until this semester in school.
As few may know, I'm what you'd call a "super senior" in school. I've been studying literature and everything about literature for the better part of five years now at my college. It's been a weird and fun journey. But it wasn't until this semester that a new door of literature was opened to me; that's right, I'm speaking of poetry.
Now, when I was in high school, we studied poetry (mainly the works of Shakespeare and a few other well known authors such as Whitman and Hughes), but we never really divulged into the world of poetry. It always made me cringe when I would see a poetry week on a syllabus or see it in a packet that our teacher provided. It would make my heart sink rather lowly in my chest. I didn't realize the world I'd been missing out on!
This semester (even after taking the beginning poetry classes that are required for the Creative Writing track), I've learned about several new forms of poetry that I've never even heard of before. Ekphrastic poetry [a poem written in response to a piece of artwork, whether it be a painting, sculpture, etc.], Prose poetry, even Furniture poetry were all introduced to me. It's exciting to learn new ways of expressing ourselves and our ideas, and trust me, once you get going and realize that there is a way of expressing yourselves without being rigid and having a cookie-cutter way of writing things, you'll enjoy the poetry topic just that much more!
So here's what I'm wanting to do this week. If you're reading this, I suggest that you take some time at night, in the mornings, on the weekends, whenever it is you have time and write. It doesn't have to be rhyming poetry, and it doesn't have to contain meter or a rhythm - it can contain whatever you want it to. Pick a piece of furniture and write about the memories, what might happen to it, give it a life, a name, etc. Pick your favorite piece of artwork (painting, sculpture, what have you) and write an ekphrastic poem that represents how you feel when looking at that piece of art; give it a story with characters or leave it all by its' lonesome in a cold, abandoned room. Just write! You'd be surprised at what you discover!
That's my "review" for this week. I hope you all search for different types of poetry and lyrical verse on the internet and discover something creative to do with a few spare moments. It really is something different and exciting in the world of literature! :)
Raise your hands if you've ever been assigned poetry in a class and have either sighed with discontent, rolled your eyes, were discouraged, etc.? Yes, you have? Good, so have I. But there's something about poetry that I wasn't aware of until this semester in school.
As few may know, I'm what you'd call a "super senior" in school. I've been studying literature and everything about literature for the better part of five years now at my college. It's been a weird and fun journey. But it wasn't until this semester that a new door of literature was opened to me; that's right, I'm speaking of poetry.
Now, when I was in high school, we studied poetry (mainly the works of Shakespeare and a few other well known authors such as Whitman and Hughes), but we never really divulged into the world of poetry. It always made me cringe when I would see a poetry week on a syllabus or see it in a packet that our teacher provided. It would make my heart sink rather lowly in my chest. I didn't realize the world I'd been missing out on!
This semester (even after taking the beginning poetry classes that are required for the Creative Writing track), I've learned about several new forms of poetry that I've never even heard of before. Ekphrastic poetry [a poem written in response to a piece of artwork, whether it be a painting, sculpture, etc.], Prose poetry, even Furniture poetry were all introduced to me. It's exciting to learn new ways of expressing ourselves and our ideas, and trust me, once you get going and realize that there is a way of expressing yourselves without being rigid and having a cookie-cutter way of writing things, you'll enjoy the poetry topic just that much more!
So here's what I'm wanting to do this week. If you're reading this, I suggest that you take some time at night, in the mornings, on the weekends, whenever it is you have time and write. It doesn't have to be rhyming poetry, and it doesn't have to contain meter or a rhythm - it can contain whatever you want it to. Pick a piece of furniture and write about the memories, what might happen to it, give it a life, a name, etc. Pick your favorite piece of artwork (painting, sculpture, what have you) and write an ekphrastic poem that represents how you feel when looking at that piece of art; give it a story with characters or leave it all by its' lonesome in a cold, abandoned room. Just write! You'd be surprised at what you discover!
That's my "review" for this week. I hope you all search for different types of poetry and lyrical verse on the internet and discover something creative to do with a few spare moments. It really is something different and exciting in the world of literature! :)
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Movie Review #1: Alice in Wonderland
The latest version of Alice in Wonderland directed by the wonderful Tim Burton, was actually disappointing. Though it had the visual standards of a Burton film and the whimsyness of a modern Disney movie, it just wasn't up to par as I would have hoped.
The story is basically Lewis Carrol's Through the Looking Glass, the sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. They brought in the White Queen and the Jabberwocky and everyone's favorites, the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, etc.
The only reason to see this movie is for Johnny Depp's performance and if you like the Tea Party Gang (March Hare, Door Mouse, Cheshire Cat). Other than that I don't HIGHLY reccomend it. But if you want to look at pretty colors with a week story line in 3D then go see it!
The story is basically Lewis Carrol's Through the Looking Glass, the sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. They brought in the White Queen and the Jabberwocky and everyone's favorites, the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, etc.
The only reason to see this movie is for Johnny Depp's performance and if you like the Tea Party Gang (March Hare, Door Mouse, Cheshire Cat). Other than that I don't HIGHLY reccomend it. But if you want to look at pretty colors with a week story line in 3D then go see it!
Lydia's Intro and awesome story #1
Hi everyone! This is Lydia! Sorry this post is sooo late. I will soon be like clockwork on here so don't you fret!
Now, I have no awesome review for you at this time, but I do have an awesome story to tell!
So after class on Friday I discovered that one of my beloved heroes/idols (I mean I'm almost to the point of worship) was doing a show that night. Than man is Kevin Smith (Silent Bob for those who do not know) (BTW: Shame on you for not knowing! =P JK).
So I find out where he was going to be and went on a mad dash to find money to see if I could actually go. I beg my mom first because she knows of my love for Kevin Smith, but alas when I pulled the birthday excuse on her (my birthday is on the 17th of this month) she said she already got my gift and had no money. So I went to the next logical step and called my dad and pulled the same story, and he said yes!! My dad (who is not so fond of Kevin Smith) said yes!!!!! This made me estatic!
So I get the ticket, get all ready, and I went to see the show in all it's awesomeness. It was honestly one of the best nights of my life! Not going into too much detail about the show, but it was Kevin Smith being Kevin Smith and amazingly awesome (even though I was in the standing room only section and could barely see him b/c there were 20 people in front of me who were 6 ft. (I'm 5'3").
Sooo that's my little ancedote.
I'm glad that you guys are taking the time to read our blog. Andi and I have put so much of ourselves into this project you have no idea! So thanks again!
Until next time,
~lydia =)
Now, I have no awesome review for you at this time, but I do have an awesome story to tell!
So after class on Friday I discovered that one of my beloved heroes/idols (I mean I'm almost to the point of worship) was doing a show that night. Than man is Kevin Smith (Silent Bob for those who do not know) (BTW: Shame on you for not knowing! =P JK).
So I find out where he was going to be and went on a mad dash to find money to see if I could actually go. I beg my mom first because she knows of my love for Kevin Smith, but alas when I pulled the birthday excuse on her (my birthday is on the 17th of this month) she said she already got my gift and had no money. So I went to the next logical step and called my dad and pulled the same story, and he said yes!! My dad (who is not so fond of Kevin Smith) said yes!!!!! This made me estatic!
So I get the ticket, get all ready, and I went to see the show in all it's awesomeness. It was honestly one of the best nights of my life! Not going into too much detail about the show, but it was Kevin Smith being Kevin Smith and amazingly awesome (even though I was in the standing room only section and could barely see him b/c there were 20 people in front of me who were 6 ft. (I'm 5'3").
Sooo that's my little ancedote.
I'm glad that you guys are taking the time to read our blog. Andi and I have put so much of ourselves into this project you have no idea! So thanks again!
Until next time,
~lydia =)
Monday, March 1, 2010
Book Review #1: The Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix
Hey! So this is exciting. First post and all. So before I jump into the first book review, I'm going to tell you a little about what's going on here. Follow me! -->
About a year ago, I (Andrea) got this crazy idea to make a blog about literature so that our friends could see what we were reading and if we liked it or not, etc. I proposed the idea to a few friends and got immediate responses. We started a blog called "Bookwormers," and due to unforeseen events, had to put that site to a halt. However, Lydia and I have continued on our journey to relay information about literature in our lives to people and have sparked this new creation! [Many thanks are needed here to Lydia and all of her hard work at putting this idea in motion. She's the creator behind the web page, etc. Truly, she is a webmaster!] So here we are, Lydia and I, writing about things we love. We will eventually have more people coming in with guest posts and so forth. They're going to be amazing!
Now that I've introduced who we are, let us begin!
The Abhorsen Trilogy: Sabriel, Lirael, Abhorsen by Garth Nix
Enter into a world of The Charter, Free Magic, Necromancers (Free Magic sorcerers who capture the Dead and make them into slaves) and Abhorsens (Charter Mages who harness the Dead to put them back to rest). The three book set is amazing, full of twists, romance (not in the trashy way, I assure you!), magic, battles, sacrificing and who could forget the creature known as Moggot.
From the first moment you step into these books, you're captivated by the magical world and the nonmagical world that abuts its boundaries by the Great Wall and the mysterious black-haired female with icicles dangling off her body, rigid as stone. Following this story that intertwines throughout all three novels is a rich story built around the Abhorsen family tree as well as the Daughters of the Clayr.
Unlike the magical novels everyone knows today (and yes, I'm speaking of the wonderful Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling), these three novels encompasses your very senses and brings you into the swirling golden light of the Charter magic and the stinging metallic smell of Free magic.
Sabriel: The story follows a young woman through her adolescents. Going about a quest to find her father, Sabriel meets interesting and mysterious creatures from all backgrounds of the Old Kingdom. Her battles with herself and the outside world keeps you hooked from page one to the end.
Lirael: A Daughter of the Clayr is supposed to have blonde hair and tanned skin, so when young Lirael sees herself in the mirror with her pale white skin and black hair, she sees someone who so obviously doesn't belong. Panged with the realization that she might never gain the Sight, Lirael begins divulging in the world of the Charter. With a terrifying mishap, Lirael gains an enemy and her best friend, the Disreputable Dog. Lirael begins her journey throughout the Great Library, finding herself in sticky situations that test her every ability and strength. As she grows, Lirael distances herself from the Clayr and is sent on a quest of her very own for the Clayr. After traveling some distances, Lirael runs into Sam, the King and Abhorsens' son. By a twist of fate, their lives are brought together and they must face the impending fate of the world together.
Abhorsen: Having brought together Sam and Lirael (and the Disreputable Dog and Moggot), they travel together in the Old Kingdom to figure out what has happened to Sam's friend, Nick, who is thought to be under the control of an evil Necromancer somewhere near a place called Red Lake. Without much knowledge of the place, and two pets who seem not to be able to speak of their pasts, the two set out in search of Nick and a way to defeat the evil thing lurking at the lake. Lirael and Sam are put to their ultimate test of bravery in this novel, facing the possibility of death numerous times.
I recommend these books completely, and must say that they are some of my favorite novels. I have reread them many times, to the point where their covers are falling off!
With this, I hope you enjoy the reviews (this and the ones that follow) and find what Lydia and I are doing to be helpful and entertaining! We love literature and hope you share in that passion. Enjoy! <3
A few links for your pleasure:
The Abhorsen Trilogy Online! [By Garth Nix] Interviews with the author, synopsis, explanations of Necromancy and their tools, etc. It's a fantastic readers guide!
Amazon.com 's listing for the Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix
Wikipedia.com 's listing for the Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix. Though, I suggest reading this information on the actual website. However, for you wiki-heads, this is a good over view of the three novels!
About a year ago, I (Andrea) got this crazy idea to make a blog about literature so that our friends could see what we were reading and if we liked it or not, etc. I proposed the idea to a few friends and got immediate responses. We started a blog called "Bookwormers," and due to unforeseen events, had to put that site to a halt. However, Lydia and I have continued on our journey to relay information about literature in our lives to people and have sparked this new creation! [Many thanks are needed here to Lydia and all of her hard work at putting this idea in motion. She's the creator behind the web page, etc. Truly, she is a webmaster!] So here we are, Lydia and I, writing about things we love. We will eventually have more people coming in with guest posts and so forth. They're going to be amazing!
Now that I've introduced who we are, let us begin!
The Abhorsen Trilogy: Sabriel, Lirael, Abhorsen by Garth Nix
Enter into a world of The Charter, Free Magic, Necromancers (Free Magic sorcerers who capture the Dead and make them into slaves) and Abhorsens (Charter Mages who harness the Dead to put them back to rest). The three book set is amazing, full of twists, romance (not in the trashy way, I assure you!), magic, battles, sacrificing and who could forget the creature known as Moggot.
From the first moment you step into these books, you're captivated by the magical world and the nonmagical world that abuts its boundaries by the Great Wall and the mysterious black-haired female with icicles dangling off her body, rigid as stone. Following this story that intertwines throughout all three novels is a rich story built around the Abhorsen family tree as well as the Daughters of the Clayr.
Unlike the magical novels everyone knows today (and yes, I'm speaking of the wonderful Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling), these three novels encompasses your very senses and brings you into the swirling golden light of the Charter magic and the stinging metallic smell of Free magic.
Sabriel: The story follows a young woman through her adolescents. Going about a quest to find her father, Sabriel meets interesting and mysterious creatures from all backgrounds of the Old Kingdom. Her battles with herself and the outside world keeps you hooked from page one to the end.
Lirael: A Daughter of the Clayr is supposed to have blonde hair and tanned skin, so when young Lirael sees herself in the mirror with her pale white skin and black hair, she sees someone who so obviously doesn't belong. Panged with the realization that she might never gain the Sight, Lirael begins divulging in the world of the Charter. With a terrifying mishap, Lirael gains an enemy and her best friend, the Disreputable Dog. Lirael begins her journey throughout the Great Library, finding herself in sticky situations that test her every ability and strength. As she grows, Lirael distances herself from the Clayr and is sent on a quest of her very own for the Clayr. After traveling some distances, Lirael runs into Sam, the King and Abhorsens' son. By a twist of fate, their lives are brought together and they must face the impending fate of the world together.
Abhorsen: Having brought together Sam and Lirael (and the Disreputable Dog and Moggot), they travel together in the Old Kingdom to figure out what has happened to Sam's friend, Nick, who is thought to be under the control of an evil Necromancer somewhere near a place called Red Lake. Without much knowledge of the place, and two pets who seem not to be able to speak of their pasts, the two set out in search of Nick and a way to defeat the evil thing lurking at the lake. Lirael and Sam are put to their ultimate test of bravery in this novel, facing the possibility of death numerous times.
I recommend these books completely, and must say that they are some of my favorite novels. I have reread them many times, to the point where their covers are falling off!
With this, I hope you enjoy the reviews (this and the ones that follow) and find what Lydia and I are doing to be helpful and entertaining! We love literature and hope you share in that passion. Enjoy! <3
A few links for your pleasure:
The Abhorsen Trilogy Online! [By Garth Nix] Interviews with the author, synopsis, explanations of Necromancy and their tools, etc. It's a fantastic readers guide!
Amazon.com 's listing for the Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix
Wikipedia.com 's listing for the Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix. Though, I suggest reading this information on the actual website. However, for you wiki-heads, this is a good over view of the three novels!
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