So it's halfway through November already - and the end of the semester is peeking around the corner and cackling like a little bitch at me... This means it's time to work, lol.
My biggest concerns right now are two end-of-the-year projects that are due one day after the other next Monday and Tuesday. They'll both take a LOT of work and time, so I'm not counting on getting much sleep this week. I'm okay with that.
And why won't I collapse in tears halfway through the process? Because Gaga's new album The Fame Monster leaked today. DON'T GET ME WRONG - this bitch will be driving all over town after class on the 23rd and buying the actual album itself, lol. I know better than that - I buy the things that I like. And speaking of things I like, I have to rave about TFM for a bit. And by that, I mean give a track-by-track breakdown. You know you love me, lol...
( So happy I could die, and it's all right... )
Okay - speaking of Gaga, I was EXTREMELY fortunate enough to land tickets to go see her live in Atlanta on December 29th!! I plan on dressing up in full-on avant-garde, crazy garb - I promise to post pictures afterward. I'm so excited - I'd like to start on it now, but I have to get school out of the way first. BLEGH. School gets in the way of everything important to me.
In other news, I've sworn off eating sweets and drinking carbonated drinks, except for on special occasions, or unless someone happens to have gotten me some as a gift. I'm curious to see what happens... I've heard several people say that all it took for them to start losing weight was to cut soft drinks out of the picture (plus exercise, of course). So maybe I'll be a little thinner when Gaga's show comes around... I've got to say, though, I never realized how much junk I ate before I decided to stop. I'd been having several sodas a day, and candy whenever I felt like it. And see, normally, my attitude about pretty much everything is, "Do what you want, as long as you're not hurting anyone. Life's too short to be worried about stupid things - nothing is unnecessary." True, but too much junk IS hurting me. And binge eating on that kind of stuff is something to worry about. I'm an indulgent person, so sometimes I tend to use the excuse, "I deserve this today," or, "Eh, I won't eat this again for a while". That doesn't fly. So I'm nipping it in the bud now and getting healthier. :)
I should swear off alcohol too, but... baby steps. :-/
Anyway, there's my update. Time to plunge into the void of this week and hope I come out the other end unscathed. CHARRRGGGE!!
<3
I want your horror, I want your design...
... 'cause you're a criminal as long as you're mine.
- Show me ya teeth... ;)
-
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
random_beauty88- November 15th, 20:13
accomplished
- I'm a good man in a storm.
-
- random_beauty88
- October 18th, 19:39
contemplative
So, after consuming the rest of my Sutter Home wine, I feel like venting.
I seem to be constantly torn between living like there's no tomorrow and worrying about responsibility. It's hard to live one way or the other without sacrificing something and having consequences as a result. And the truth is, I want to have my cake and eat it too, and god damn it, that's just not possible. And that sucks, but that's life.
I don't want to settle for being as responsible and impressive as I can, but being the most fun and outrageous person everyone knows at the same time. Because either you're completely outrageous or fun, or you're impressive and responsible. You can't be both; I've not met anyone who is. And that combination just can't work out to half and half, and I really don't want it to. I'm not sure which thing I value more - being successful or doing what I want.
Because I used to live by grades and praise and books. Now, I don't think they matter. But if I want to get out of this school on time, I have to act like they do.
What kind of moments do I get the most out of in life? I like it most when people are impressed with me when I'm funny or clever or pretty or insightful. Good grades are great, and they'll supposedly help me get a better job someday in the future, but they say nothing about who I am. They say I can understand concepts or memorize facts and spit them out on paper within a few months. After that, I could forget all of them. I can't meet people in a bar and impress them by reciting some asinine thing I read in textbook.
I would rather spend my time working on me - my perceptions, my beliefs, the way I relate with people, the way I learn the things I pick up out of books that I'm actually interested in and care about. I'd rather meet people who think totally differently than I do and learn about the world through the time I spend with them. I'd rather get out of this state and experience other things than looking at them in low resolution on Google Maps. I'd rather be getting myself into questionable situations than sitting here and hearing how safe it is to just stay home.
The thing is that I've been becoming a different person here at college, but I don't feel like I've had the chance to be that person because I'm too busy sacrificing my free time, my thoughts, and my conscience to college itself.
College is work.
Work is what I have to do to make it out of here alive.
I don't feel alive right now.
I feel like me, running on 20%.
I feel fucking boring, and to me, that is the absolute worst thing to be in life, all general things considered. Other than dead, but being dead isn't something you can be in life, obviously, so that's a moot point. So how does it work out?
The only thing I've figured out at this point is that wine apparently makes me see myself within the universe VERY clearly, so I need some more wine, stat. Hell, maybe it'll open my mind up while studying for a test one night.
- 1-2-3, Peter, Paul & Mary...
-
- random_beauty88
- October 4th, 16:23
hopeful
Oh, it's definitely time for an update. October's breezed in beautifully, and all I can really think about is Halloween. Too bad I've got four midterms to get out of the way first, lol...
For my benefit, really - a breakdown of my classes...
Communication & Social Identity: It's a little bumpy. It's a class full of mostly conservative Christians who are going to feel very awkward when it comes time to talk about gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgenders; these are people who collectively think that racism isn't a huge deal anymore, and that talking about it like that in class will only make it worse. (Of course, what is there to make worse if you're saying it doesn't exist anymore? Right.) Anyway, I like that class because it gets me thinking about how humans relate to each other, and it broadens my perspective where others are concerned. Of course, I missed a Thought Paper due last week because I was too hungover to go to the class that the source material for it came from... but that's over and done with, and I'm already laughing about it. :)
Oral Interpretation of Literature: A scary, intimidating class that's almost like an acting course. It's about learning to reading prose, dramatic pieces, and other things out loud in a way that maximizes the experience to convey the best and truest version of it possible to your audience. My first interpretation piece went well, and I actually had a wonderfully cathartic experience doing it. I can't wait for the next one. It just takes a lot of mental preparation and time, and it's a process that's pretty draining. But a great experience, overall.
International Cinema: With a focus on French films, I figured I'd dig every single thing shown to me in this class. WRONG, lol... I hated The Rules of the Game, and early French cinema (other than The Crime of M. Lange) doesn't really interest me. Hiroshima, Mon Amour was interesting, though, and I can see what everyone's crazy over it. I can't wait to finally see Breathless and The 400 Blows. I feel like it's an easy class, as long as I keep up with what's done in class.
Critical Studies of Television: I LOVE THIS CLASS. Our tests consist of us choosing our own episodes of shows we have access to and analyzing them, or capturing screen-caps for certain scenes, or doing take-home essays on them. And we get to watch TV in there, of course - sometimes. It makes me happy. :)
Telecommunication Audience Analysis: Most boring class on the face of the planet. It's about the technical side of TV - how to measure TV audiences, how they figure what ads go where, how Nielsen ratings are done, etc., etc. When I'm able to make myself understand what they're talking about, I feel a little more confident, but sometimes it all just goes right over my head. It takes me a while. Still, for the last test, I read 4 out of the 6 chapters we were being tested on just a few hours before taking the test, and I made an 83. Not bad. I may not understand it all, but I feel all right about getting at least a B in there come December, lol...
Other than classes, I had the misfortune of getting pretty sick a week ago. Thanks to some meds, most of it was knocked out all of this past week, but now it's back with a vengeance, and clogging up my head. I had to go buy a box of tissues, which is when I know things are getting serious, lol. Hopefully it chills out over this next week. I've got two midterms to worry about, but they'll probably be all right.
I'm pretty well-known for changing my mind about Halloween costumes about a million times every year, but this year, it's REALLY bad, lol... My original plan to be a Britney-styled Ringmaster went out the window because of the lack of sources for a good ringmaster jacket. Being Blair Waldorf would be fun, but it's just not outrageous enough for me on Halloween... The only thought that's stuck with me is, "I have to be in a skirt. This is a necessity." Halloween is the time to bring the sexy. XD Actually, I have a huge need to be as outrageous as my lazy tendencies will allow me to be on a daily basis. Once I learn how to work past Teh Lazy, who knows what'll happen. There are no limits!!
My favorite TV shows are keeping me otherwise entertained.
Glee keeps getting better and better; my iPod's already filling up with its music.
House had an amazing premiere, but where is it going now? Either way, Hugh Laurie rocks my socks.
Gossip Girl is a huge web of WTF and lots of adorable Chuck/Blair-ness. <3
Grey's Anatomy is still sappy and badass - and I just realized I forgot to watch Thursday's episode, lol...
So I'm off to do that. XD
- Master Plan? What Master Plan?
-
- random_beauty88
- September 7th, 16:15
- rejuvenated
While I'm sitting here waiting for some chicken to thaw out, and so effortlessly procrastinating on a ton of very vital school work, I figured I'd blog about my weekend and some other stuff. :)
So, the high points of my trip:
Driving with a Garmin. It's incredibly fantastic... until you hit a HUGE city like Atlanta, where people aren't afraid to run your ass over if you're trying to go slow and get your bearings, lol. Atlanta has SO many exits and offshoots on the highways, so Garmin's instructions come VERY quickly and sometimes don't jibe with what I'm seeing in front of me and what's on its little animated map. A little confusing. So I wasted a whole lot of dirty words on the way to our hotel, hehe... But ultimately, I'm so glad I have a GPS now. It's invaluable.
The Circus Starring: Britney Spears. Oh, the energy that develops when thousands of pop fans are singing a rousing, remixed version of "...Baby One More Time" while Britney herself breaks it down onstage and mock conducts everyone in the sing-along. She knows she's back. XD Our seats were pretty awesome, and we could see everything that went on. Britney's show is literally half circus, half concert - well-balanced, and the most visually stimulating show I've ever seen. Songs, dancing, acrobatics, aerialists, martial artists, and a few other strange talents were all over the place. Watching her perform is like living in a giant music video, which I'm sure was deliberate - Britney's videos are a mammoth part of her claim to fame.
I'm so glad I got the chance to see her live... She might lip-sync her overly produced music, but she's still an artist - her creative choices are all over what she does - and she's the biggest pop star of my generation. As a critic once put it, the prevailing aspect of her shows is the pure spectacle of everything. "Circus" is an apt name for this stage of her career, and she knows it - you can see it in the elaborate costumes, blunt lyrics of her latest songs, and the unapologetic way she behaves. Fans know what they're in for, and they love her for it... myself among them. :)
Dragon*Con. After attending a huge gathering of freaks and geeks (these are my people; totally not an insult), I've kind of figured out that Dragon*Con is much more managable and enjoyable if you plan further ahead and commit to attending only one or two fan tracks (stuff like Sci-Fi Lit., Comic/Pop Art, Young Adult stuff, or Dark Fantasy). Because, baby, it's hard trying to weave between four hotels, 2 dozen fan tracks, and thousands of people for a weekend with no concrete agenda, lol. Still, it was SUCH a cool experience - these people have the time, resources, and talent I wish I had to spend on their costumes of epic proportions. Stuff was going on at all hours of the day and night, and it was one huge party.
Also, I met Malcolm McDowell. He was incredibly nice, dry with his humor - and when asked about a third Halloween remake with Rob Zombie, he said that if the Weinstein brothers fork over the money for it, then fine; if not, "Fuck 'em." Unapologetic swearing automatically earns anyone cool points with me, lol...
So - contests, celebrity panels, autographs, writing/reading sessions, gaming/role-playing meetings, concerts, karaoke, TONS of merchandise, and a great feeling comradery among most of the attendees. It's a dreamland for me, lol. I'd love to go next year, but it seriously depends on my monetary situation. I spent a shit-ton of money on this thing. So it takes a lot of time and planning. We'll see!
An amazing weekend. Although getting home put me in a horrible mood - not because I was away from all the coolness, but because of how much money I now don't have, lol. My 21st birthday is tomorrow, and my joint party with my roommate is supposed to be Friday. We're low on funds, that's for sure. We'll have to get creative - and it just makes me worry.
That leads me to another odd topic... I've been kind of fascinated lately with how much people are offended by things. I'm talking about things that aren't obviously hurtful - I think everyone's in agreement that stuff like abuse and actively preventing others' happiness are outright negative things and are offensive. I'm talking about really stupid things that people already know exist, and yet every time they hear something or see it or feel it or whatever, they go apeshit insane and deem it inappropriate or ugly or unnecessary.
I've realized lately how stupid it is for me to look at someone's micro-mini skirt while walking to class and think, "Good God, she doesn't need to be wearing that." No, she doesn't need to - but she definitely chose to. It doesn't have anything to do with me. Who am I to tell her to wear something else? God forbid she have legs or an ass... it's not like that's a surprise, or like the human body is anything other than what we've been living with and in for our whole lives.
And swear words. Does anyone realize that the only reason they're so scandalous is because we made them that way? Shit means the same thing as poop, fecal matter, scat, and doo-doo - but only when I use that word will anyone pop in and say, "Okay, watch your mouth there." There's nothing special about swear words - they aren't cursed, and we aren't bad people for using them. Why do people automatically assume that by using them, a person must have ill intentions? If I say, "Dude, I don't want to deal with that stuff today, shut your mouth," it could be taken a WHOLE lot more seriously and dangerously than if I say, "Dude, I don't want to deal with that shit today, shut the hell up." The words themselves don't dictate the person's intent. Why do we give them that much power? They're just words.
Anyway, my point is that people shame others for doing and saying things that don't matter. So Paris Hilton danced on a pole. So might your daughter one day. So some rapper is sagging his pants on TV. Sooner or later, he'll figure out that it's hard to walk that way - and what's the worse that could happen if his pants fall down? You'll see an ass? Oh, the horror.
I'd love to turn this into a longer, more academically-motivated rant, but I'm running out of time and patience, lol. My point is this... Life is short. Nothing is unnecessary. Quit letting little things like that bother you. You have more important things to worry about.
- You say I'm crazy? I GOT your crazy...
-
- random_beauty88
- August 30th, 23:44
- pleased
So, it's finally upon me. The week after this one will probably be the greatest week of this year for me, and damn, I can't believe it's almost here.
Unfortunately for me, I have to get through this next week of school first. And it will be just a weeee bit busy, but I can handle it. The thing is that I've forgotten how much of a luxury it's been this past summer to have the freedom to work on my own passion projects. I wasted most of the time immersing myself in media, so now that I have motivation to do my own things, I have school to worry about. Thankfully, they're assignments I care about to some degree, so I can't exactly hate them, lol...
Anyway, let's go over how much AWESOME will be packed into next week...
Friday (4th) - Seeing Britney Spears in Atlanta with Colby, and singing along while dancing like a total skeaze?! YUSS!!
Friday (4th) thru Sunday (6th) - Dragon*Con in Atlanta with friends. Tom Felton, Peter Facinelli, Tobe Hooper, George Romero, David Prowse, William Shatner, and LOADS of other talented demigods who rule the worlds of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and comics. OH.MY.GOD.
Tuesday (8th) - I turn 21 years of age at 8:15pm. You already know how I'm gonna celebrate. XD
Wednesday (9th) - Glee starts!!! Don't stop believin'!! Hehehe...
Friday (11th) or Saturday (12th) - My joint birthday party with J-Stew $. It's gonna be wild and amazing!
I have to admit, doing Britney and D*Con in one weekend is going to mean VERY little sleep, loads and loads of pictures, and a LOT of make-up and sugar to cover my fatigue, but God, it will be so worth it. I can't believe I was lucky enough to have everything work out as perfectly as it has. I have a feeling it'll be a beautiful experience... and it'll be in one of my favorite cities. :-D
Otherwise, this school year has been overwhelmingly good. My classes kick ass, the workload is more specifically suited to my interests, and I've been to more parties and semi-gatherings-turned-parties in the last two weeks than in a while - so I can't complain.
Oh, and Inglourious Basterds much? Yeah... YES. My new nickname: Mrs. Bear Jew. If you're a fan of Eli Roth, you know why. The man is awesome. XD Still wanting to see Rob Zombie's H2, but it may not happen, as this week I'm booked with work, and next week I'm booked with play. ;)
Anywhore, I just wanted to update. I'm really happy. And expect my next entry after the coming weekend to be even more ridiculously so, lol.
'Til next time...
( I'm Mrs. Most Likely to Get on the TV for Strippin' on the Streets... )
- Just one week of danger at a time.
-
- random_beauty88
- August 16th, 10:30
sick
Well-y, well-y, well... Back on campus at last. I think I've got to adjust to the dorm bed, because waking up this morning, I found that my neck quite hated me, and my muscles are KILLING me from moving stuff yesterday. Out of shape; FAIL. Still, it was a good first night. There's something about a meal of cake and beer that makes for a uniquely collegiate experience. XD
I'm going to pick up the rest of my textbooks today, which is scary. Not because it means I'll have stuff I'm required to read again, but because of how much it cost to order them. Ah, school system... you enjoy fucking us over.
Anyway, I feel a pretty good year coming on. I really like my dorm, even though we haven't gotten the living room and kitchen completely set up yet. Both are still bare-ish. It's a little disorienting, because both our building and our suite are flipped around and on the other side of where we were last year. I'm still adjusting to where the light switches are, lol.
My goals for this year are, in no particular order:
1. Keep my GPA as near perfect as possible.
2. Work out at least every other day.
3. Keep laying off the horribly fatty foods. So far, my system's got on well without them, and hates when I indulge anymore.
4. Meet a disgustingly huge amount of new people.
That's really all I have to say at the moment. I'm not feeling too hot, or else I would've made this longer and more meaningful. Off to go recover and eat...
<3
- Review: The Collector
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- random_beauty88
- July 31st, 22:51
- contemplative
Since the year 2000, it seems like much of the horror genre has consisted of 3 kinds of movies: A.) terribly lame PG-13 flicks, B.) the "torture porn" films (i.e., the Saw sequels, Hostel, etc.), and C.) the Three Rs - Remakes, Rehashed ideas, and Really Pointless Sequels.
I hear that most people credit Saw with the start of "torture porn", and after having seen The Collector tonight, I have to fiercely object. The only truly bloody part of Saw is the ending sequence. Are there a couple of other gory moments? Sure. But nothing terribly excessive, in the way that we're comparing it to all the indulgence of pornography.
At the time, I laughed at the phrase "torture porn", because it seemed extreme; a title assigned in a panicked response to the radical idea behind Saw, and especially to the new kind of remorseless creativity behind the process of death. (All right, I give Saw a lot of credit, lol... One woman's opinion. *shrug*)
The Collector, while it has several redeeming qualities that made me a little excited... seems like it saw "TORTURE PORN" floating around out there, grabbed it, stuck it on its forehead with fervor, and ran off into the night like a psychopath with it. :-/
Arkin (Josh Stewart) is an ex-con turned handyman - and when the family he's working for splits to go on vacation, he decides to break into their family safe in order to get the means of paying back a debt to his ex-wife. In the process of cracking the combination, he discovers that he's not alone in the huge house. Someone far worse has already set up shop and gotten to the family - and they don't sound very well. Arkin's quick burglary gig turns into a hostage rescue mission... only far, far bloodier.
[MILD SPOILERS...] What I liked most about The Collector is that, on the whole, it consists of 3 or 4 of my worst nightmares come true. I find home invasion movies horrifying - but this one really, really unnerved me because it involves a house that's been turned into a grand, makeshift death trap. All around. Everywhere. There is no such thing as "moving quickly" there. Also, one of my greatest fears is finding out that I'm being watched in my own home, by someone who may be so close he can touch you. The thought of stuff like that makes me fidget so hard it's disturbing... So thank you, Collector, for providing me with enough nightmarish scenarios to keep me up and listening to happy music for the rest of the night. >.<
Otherwise, The Collector generates a fairly good list of scary, clever, and badass moments - as well as nice sound design, an empathetic (albeit flawed) leading man, and a trippy score. Combating that list, however, was the hedonistic quality of the gore throughout the middle of the movie. I'll usually take a healthy helping of gore with my horror, for sure, but when it's being pushed so often to the forefront of the movie that it takes me out of the more important things going on... I feel like the film's lurching off track and indulging a little too much, living up to "torture porn" quite well, if it ever was a legitimate title.
Marcus Dunstan (writer: the Feast films, Saw IV-VI) makes a fairly solid directorial debut. His style is grainy and disorienting, but he makes up for it with other shots that are full of atmosphere and tension. The editing only strays into Saw's familiar "quick-cut" territory a few times, notably in the opening titles (which were like those of Se7en, but on acid). The writing, done by Dunstan and his Feast/Saw partner Patrick Melton, holds up through much of the movie, but suffers here and there from repetitive filler dialogue.
The Collector himself, played by Juan Fernández, is a powerful and menacing entity. He's faster, nastier, and more pervy than most of horror's classic villains - but he's got elements of most all of them. For some reason, I really like that his mask is made of this rough, sweater-like material. It's a touch on the vain side. Also, the idea of what he does - what his short term goals are, at least - is something no one wants to think about for very long. He resembles intruders I've seen before in my nightmares. Win for the movie's creators - fail for me and my quivering subconscious. :)
I've got mixed feelings about The Collector overall. It is worth your money? I think so. Certainly not a bad way to kill two hours, and a hell of a relentless ride. Just be prepared for the gore, my friends, and intense situations. It's pretty harsh, in a bow-your-head-and-wince and wish-you-weren't-here kind of way.
And now, the inevitable question... Sequel? *eyeroll*
- Writer's Block: Bite Me
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- random_beauty88
- July 27th, 4:52
giddy
Carlisle Cullen. I'm not exaggerating when I say I have a weakness for blonds. ... And doctors. I think my friends all remember my Mohinder phase. ;)
Hot damn, I can't sleep, lol. After sleeping off a REALLY bad bout of nausea yesterday morning, I had a short day that was brought to a quick end by a headache. I climbed in bed at about 7:30 and slept for a few hours... and I've been awake ever since, lol. Mostly listening to Repo! and Gossip Girl songs. For some reason, those two vibes fit together here and there. It's cracktacularly great. XD
I now have... *brings out huge, fancy calculating machine-bobby-thingy* ... two weeks and five days until I move back onto campus. Watch, these last couple of weeks before school, I'll become REALLY productive and motivated and willing to take on new stuff, like I said I'd be doing all summer, lol. Procrastination is such a bitch.
More and more often, I've been getting the urge to write. I haven't written anything worth while since graduating high school... Methinks it's time to remedy that. I refuse to believe that I wrote my best stuff as a teenager. There's more left up there in my brain, I'm positive. :)
Anyway... yeah, this wasn't much of an update. Just an excuse for me to still be awake and slightly productive. I don't feel like doing a meme... however, I will leave you with this classic Mr. Chi-City video:
- Baby I'm a freak, and I don't really give a damn. ;)
-
- random_beauty88
- July 22nd, 0:23
- pleased
Man, oh man, it's been a hot minute since I've updated... And here I thought, at the beginning of summer, that I'd be blogging every other day about this and that. Ha. It's true that I've had lots of stuff to talk about and share, but most of it's just never made it onto here.
Breakdown:- Trip to Disney World. Bangin'. If only the shirtless dude (whom I'd named Judd) I'd seen the first day had popped up again... *sigh* Yum.
- Tickets to see Britney in September - *FANGIRL SPASM* I'm so excited for this, you've no idea. It'll be different from a KoRn concert, for sure, but the amazing prospect of singing along to kickass songs with other fans - one loud, roaring voice of awesome - is a feeling I've really missed. Doing it at a Britney concert will undoubtedly be trippy and a whole lot of girly fun. XD
- Quitting my job at Victoria's Secret. I'm convinced it was for the better... However, I'm now only working 8 hours a week at Ulta. Not only does that yield a less-than-satisfying amount of money, but I'm there so scarcely (and doing more of another sort of job that they didn't really hire me for) that I'm still slightly inept at knowing the products I'm supposed to be selling. I need more training, and they probably can't spare the hours. *sigh*
- Seeing Half-Blood Prince... Ah, man, it feels really good to be excited about a fandom again, lol. It was a fantastic adaptation of the book (with a few glaring missing scenes), and I should really post a review of it soon... We'll see if that happens, lol. But it's very clear that the HP film team has figured out the right way to execute the balance of comedy and tragedy that's ensued so far - and I have complete faith in them when considering the material in the last book.
With less than a month now before school starts, I'm in a state of gleeful preparation and relentless optimism. I've actually enjoyed most of this summer, really... I've been working on being better - expelling the bullshit, honing how I think, and improving my relationship with my mother, as well as ending one deteriorated relationship and picking up a few new contacts for my cell phone... But really, I'm ready to start filling up my social calendar hardcore and attacking my classes like you wouldn't believe.
I turn 21 in less than two months, as well. Once the novelty of being able to order alcohol at restaurants and having a bottle of liquor on hand for tough nights wears off, I expect I'll be less annoying. Now, though? I've got alcohol on the brain, lol. It's horrid - but I do have faith that I won't turn into an addict, so that's good. I have realized, however, how stupid it is that we can smoke a cigarette, elect a President, operate a car, and offer to "die for our country" before we can have a sip of beer. Yet another way in which this country is absurdly backwards sometimes.
Anyway - that's about the extent of things on my end. As always, I'll end things with a meme... because I can. XD
( They call me crazy... but I really don't care. )
- Drunken LJ Post. WIN.
-
- random_beauty88
- July 1st, 0:31
- ecstatic
Well, the high point of my summer has finally arrived - I'll be leaving, with my mother and the J-Stew $, on a trip to Florida in about 7 hours. (Why am I still up? Hell if I know, lol...) I've consumed an entire bottle of Sutter Home White Zinfadel wine by myself, and I feel very, very tingly and ready to roll across the entire length of this house. So I can't be held responsible for anything I write or say right now, lol...
Anyway - I've handed in my two weeks notice at Victoria's Secret. Even though the store managers says it's no big deal and wants me to stay anyway, I really don't like the huge emphasis that credits cards are getting in my job description. I applied there to sell their products - not credits cards. Fuck that. So, I won't be there for very much longer. The job at Ulta is good, so I'm keeping it, and hopefully getting transferred to the branch in T-Town during the school year so I can make a steady stream of money every couple of weeks. I'm quite happy with my decisions. ^.^
Otherwise, my cats are still whores, my friends are amazing (and I don't tell them that enough - YOU'RE ALL AMAZING!), and I need cheesecake like WHOA, lol. Maybe in Florida.
Anyway - I'll have my compy down there as well, so expect some updates: on here, Facebook, and Twitter. I've become pretty addicted to any networking outlets I've got on my radar, and I've decided that that's a good thing. My real life in Montgomery might be horribly boring, but I can at least network with different people online in place of that. It's quite fun. XD
I like how alcohol makes different body parts numb. Yes, yes, yessss... :)
Anyway... DRUNKEN MEME TIME!!!! XD
( Head for the hills, pick up you feet - let's go... )
WOW, that was actually articulate for someone who can't feel her legs, lips, ankles, or wrists right now... WOO!!
- Dirty Pop.
-
- random_beauty88
- June 25th, 19:08
- contemplative
About a year ago, I'd decided that I really didn't like pop culture. Pop music was stupid, popular stuff on TV was vapid, and popular products we annoying as hell.
A couple of months ago, though, I was introduced to Lady GaGa, who lives, breathes, and eats the spirit of pop culture. So I brought out all my old pop CDs, watched a bunch of VH1 specials, and started listening to the radio here and there again.
Because I realized that pop culture is just fantastic. Cheesy, lame, pretentious, or hyped as it may be, it's just fantastic, and it's something everyone can relate to.
And pop culture doesn't get any greater than classic shows like Charlies Angels and phenomenal icons like Michael Jackson.
Unfortunately, I can't speak to the former as well as the latter... Farrah Fawcett was for my mother, who loved Charlie's Angels the same as any little girl in the late 70s. She was one of the last classic, beautiful, talented female pop culture icons to pass.
Michael Jackson's affect on pop culture, I think, everyone can speak to. Pop music obtained it's penchance for spectacle, extravagance, and drama because of great performances like Jackson's. There can be no greater moment in it's history than when Michael made jaws drop everywhere when he moonwalked across Ed Sullivan's stage in 1983. He is responsible for the evolution of the music video - "Billie Jean" put MTV on the map. Innovative in the areas of dance, song, and image, Jackson's persona lived well into my generation, and his work has always (and will always) be considered something to be looked upon in awe.
The bottom line is that the mark of a true artist is a style that can't be duplicated. Even if he hadn't sold the most albums in music history, Michael Jackson would still be considered the greatest - the King of Pop.
Please, keep a little pop culture in your life. I know it's not as good as it was in Michael Jackson's peak years... but pop music - good, bad, or plainly medicore - will keep breathing as long as it has fans to follow its addictive nature. So when I see Britney Spears live in September, I'll be singing along to the catchy hooks and cheeky verses with a childish glee. Pop is an aura and a state of mind - and I want to bathe in it for the rest of my life. :)
( Classic Videos )
- Review: The Taking of Pelham 123
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- random_beauty88
- June 12th, 20:26
- refreshed
NOTE: It's the return of the movie reviews!!
I'd stopped writing them at the turn of the New Year - out of laziness or doubt of my future in film, who knows? - right before I saw most of the Oscar noms for Best Picture. I have no idea why Pelham was the one that made me start writing again, but I've really missed discussing/analyzing movies. I may not be able to see as many as I once could - prices are ridiculous, and frankly, I think there's just a lack of good films coming out right now - but I'm going to try my damndest to see what I can. So, away we go...
The Taking of Pelham 123, a remake I hadn't even known was a remake until recently (oh, man, my age is showing), has been getting pretty mediocre reviews. I was hesitant to see it. In the end, though, I needed a way to get out of my house, so I took the plunge.
Quite glad I did. ^.^
Pelham is the story of a subway train hijacked by a gang of armed men, one of whom calls himself Ryder (John Travolta). The transit dispatcher who happens to be orchestrating the rails that day is Walter Garber (Denzel Washington), who becomes responsible for keeping Ryder calm and meeting his demands - $10 million dollars from the mayor of New York in one hour, and he'll start shooting one of his 18 hostages for every minute the authorities are late bringing the money. Assisted by hostage negotiator Camonetti (John Turturro), Garber has one hell of a task on his hands as he and the others at the MTA scramble to meet Ryder's ever-changing demands and try their hardest not to get sucked into his radical idea of how things in the world work.
To be honest, Pelham is nothing special or new, but it's definitely an exciting and engaging way to spend 2 hours. (And believe me, I debated hard about whether to spend those 2 hours with it; unfortunately, I can't just spend money for a ticket to just any movie anymore.) There were several moments at the beginning that begged not to be taken seriously (having Travolta make his screen entrance over the sound of "99 Problems" by Jay-Z, for instance), but it takes 5 or 10 minutes to let yourself sink into the vibe the film's trying to give off. It sort of works.
Arguably, the best part of the film is the volatile back and forth between John Travolta and Denzel Washington. Travolta takes an otherwise two-dimensional thug character and pushes him often between the two extremes of being the angry truth-teller of society's sins and being the unpredictable bastard who changes his rules every 5 minutes. It makes for a truly entertaining performance, especially given Washington's play-off of it on the other end of the car mic. Washington sinks right into the role of the washed-up dispatcher accused of allegedly accepting a bribe, being made to do bottom-wrung work and keeping his complaints to himself. Throwing him into a hostage situation makes him an honest man at Ryder's command, and the conversation between the two proves to bring out some interesting details to compare and contrast between them both.
Tony Scott's direction is not for the weak of stomach, nor for the picky of technique. The quick, blurry, gritty pans that you see in the trailer make up nearly all of the opening shots and actions shots in the film. Stylistically interesting, but functionally retarded. I think it was meant to ramp up the action, but it seemed pretty forced and unnecessary. The editing, however, was well done.
Brian Helgeland's script is bare bones with a few shining gems of conversation and plot point execution here and there. Most of it unfolds like a very quick episode of 24, and you think that'd enforce the time limit given by the hijackers. Instead, the elaborate nature of everything that happens overruns the idea of time running out, and it left me frowning at how unbelievable it was to buy into all of this being allowed to happen in time to deliver the money.
In any case, suspension of disbelief will tide over any audience member who's looking to be entertained, and Pelham accomplishes that. Sporting some nifty suspense scenes, hilarious lines delivered by Travolta, and a nice use of music here and there (I wish they'd have used more of "Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums" by A Perfect Circle!), this film qualifies as a genuinely interesting summer thriller that isn't a waste of money.
- Brazen Bitches in Bufftastic Britches
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- random_beauty88
- June 10th, 13:42
- giddy
So, let's take a tally of Nikki's summer:
... PRO: Not being surrounded by overzealous Tide fans (if you don't count my mother). Thank God.
... CON: Blown off by several people who are close friends, one of whom is totally out of my life now for good.
... PRO: Working two jobs, at Ulta and Victoria's Secret. MO' MUNNY.
... CON: Staying at home a lot, while my mother has gone out almost every weekend (for the WHOLE weekend) I've been home. FAIL.
... PRO: NOT eating junk.
... CON: Running out of creative healthy options that are appealing to me...
... PRO: Time to myself.
... CON: Total lack of motivation, except for my jobs.
... GIANT FUCKING PRO: The possibility of seeing Britney in concert in Atlanta on September 4th. YUSSS, BITCH!!
Talk about a birthday present to myself! XD All summer, I've been waiting for something awesome and exciting to happen, and this is IT. If the ticket prices aren't horrible, I'm definitely there. Tickets go on sale June 19th, which is when I know I'll get paid again (although not much at all... fucking Ulta... *sulk*). I won't get paid at VS until at least two weeks from now, lol... so I have to harness what resources I've got. The only problem is that I only know of one person who'd love to go to this with me, and she and I aren't talking. Dilemma.
I'd probably go alone regardless, but a Britney concert isn't something you go alone to, lol. It's a gathering of kickass girls from all over the place who came to have a damn good time. I don't want to go alone. So... perhaps Mission: BFF Recovery is in need of a kickoff soon.
Anyway... So the summer's been really uneventful, save for this Britney news this morning, but this is the Gump, after all - and no one's here this summer anyway. If I weren't working so much, I'd be heading to Atlanta a couple of times. Then again, if I weren't working so much, I wouldn't have the money to head out anywhere at all, lol. I'm really dying to take a road trip. *pines*
Nothing else exciting going on - but as usual, I've been thinking about a bunch of topics that I'd really like to write about. And as usual, I'm too lazy to do it right now, and I have work in a few hours anyhow. *sigh*
<3
- Freakshow... Peepshow!
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- random_beauty88
- May 24th, 1:43
- cheerful
Well, it's the morning before my first training session at Ulta, and of course, I don't want to sleep at all, lol. I'd rather stay up and load old music onto my computer. Honestly, I've been reading the orientation stuff, and they've got some pretty ridiculous rules, the weirdest of which is that I can't wear any perfume to work unless it's a scent they sell. Sorry, kids, but I'm wearing the perfume I've already got. I've already paid for it. ^.^
Anyway... music. Why doesn't money grow on trees? The list of albums I'd like to buy to put my sanity to rest is way too damn long, and I need money to buy it all, damn it. >.< So many old albums... a short, but delicious list of new-ish stuff as well, particularly the Sohodolls, Elbow, and the Black Angels.
I should probably wait until I've start working so I can MAKE money. *is impatient* How about I read Watchmen to pass the time otherwise? Or finally watch Rear Window?
I love how many things I need to casually take care of that I alway forget. The internetz distracts me. *sigh*
I'm too lazy to type more stuff, but I do have a music survey - and I think it's way cool. You probably won't, but hey, that's okay. ;)
( Ha-ha, he-he, ha-ha, ho! )
- Tumor...
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- random_beauty88
- May 11th, 15:31
- uncomfortable
... is an incredibly scary word, and I have one. O.O
It's an angioma: the small (but possibly growing) red bump on the near underside of my upper lip, and it's totally benign. No one really notices it except me, and it doesn't hurt unless I drag a fingernail across it or something. It might get bigger, it might not.
So, essentially, getting it removed would be a purely vain, cosmetic kind of decision. And it will involve them deadening the damn thing with a needle - which will make it bleed profusely, since it's made up a cluster of enlarged blood vessels - and cauterizing it afterward. And then there will be the awkward period afterward where I'll probably refuse to go out in public while it heals.
Nikki might need the entire summer to build up her confidence for that. It just makes me nauseous to think of that being done to my lip - but it worries me even more that it's entirely possible the angioma will grow to the common size of a centimeter in length, which I don't want. I'd never given much thought to how I might handle the decision to medically get rid of something on my skin to make myself look better and boost my own confidence.
Needless to say, it's kind of ruined my state of mind. The day I came home from school, I was so happy I literally couldn't stop smiling, even while moving all of my shit back into the house after hours and hours of lifting, pushing, and driving. I was totally ready to have a joyful, healthy, productive summer. Now I can't get needles and gushing blood out of my head. Not good.
Anyway - just thought I'd share. On a more positive note, I have several ideas swimming around my head to write about. Mostly about films and sequels and random observations. I'll probably get to them later.
Anyway - CHECK THIS REALLY COOL THING OUT...
( Starburst make my mouth say WEEE! )
- Trash it! Trash it! It's just a rental!
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- random_beauty88
- May 4th, 23:00
- cheerful
One exam down, four to go - two of which are tomorrow. I'm not incredibly worried about any of them, just ready for moving day.
I'm incredibly ready to get back home again. The day after I move, I've got a job interview at Ulta. After that's taken care of, Mom and I are going to start shopping at the Farmer's Market for some better stuff to eat. Nothing frozen, nothing processed, etc. REAL food. So naturally, I'll learn how to cook a bit more. And my ass is gonna be walking at least every other day. It's going to be a very relaxing and rewarding summer.
I can't decide exactly how to express how I feel about my sophomore year here at UA, lol... The first half was a hot mess, but there are so many songs and parties and random nights that I chalk up on my Pros list. The second half was fantastic. Not up to par with freshman year, but just as good in a different, progressive way. I think, if there's any word that can describe me this past year, it'll be "progressive". You might not have been able to see it on the outside, but damn, I feel it on the inside.
The biggest and best lesson I've learned this year is to rise above. I've seen soooooo much excess... stuff this year that just doesn't matter. So after hashing it out and letting it pass, just be done with it. I can't waste my time clinging to some vague argument or petty issue that won't matter in a week. That's how one's life gets bogged down - too many worries, too much drama, and too few risks taken - it's not healthy for all of that to keep a person tied down. I'm almost 21, dude, I've got shit to do. ;)
Anyway - expect lots of blogging and opinions and rants and stories and such from me over the summer. For now, though, here's the long-ass survey I completed in order to NOT be studying astronomy, lol...
( *pulls back curtain*... )
- Green grass grows all around.
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- random_beauty88
- April 7th, 23:58
blank
A month left, I'll be halfway done with college.
PROS: I'm now studying only my major and my minor, and that's what I care about. I get to spend more time with people in my own major, and those people are amazingly cool. I know enough about the system to steer clear of most potential mistakes. I only have to pay for and put up with classes for two more years. I've gotten loads more life experience and common sense under my belt since coming to college.
CONS: The easy parts are over. I have to start worrying about resumes and interviews and networking soon. The shiny new feeling of this campus is completely dead and gone, and that makes me sadder than I can admit out loud. My group of friends is still there, but noticeably cut in half, and segmented to within an inch of its life. I'll have to find my own place to live in two years. Not because Mom has/is going to definitely kick me out, but because... I just kind of have to. I'll be almost 23.
It's heavy stuff. So when I start dwelling on it, I always think of the lovely saying, "It's not called alcoholism until after college." XD
No, that doesn't mean I intend to drown my sorrows by getting wasted whenever I can - it just means that yes, college is when we have to start becoming responsible... but it's also an excuse to get away with not quite being an adult yet. So yes - I'll still procrastinate like an ignorant teenager full of hope and denial. I'll still take a little more time for myself than I need to, despite waiting loads of work. I'll get a job at Ulta for the time being until I graduate - and I'll whine about it. I'll act like a fool on idle Tuesday nights with my roommates. And when I turn 21 in five months, I'll probably buy a favorite liquor and keep it on hand at all times, just to have something to have a glass of every now and then to get me through the really annoying school assignments... and several glasses of to get me through inevitable personal crises. Because god damn it, I am in college, and I can.
... Don't ask me where all of that came from.
OBSESSION ALERT: Lady GaGa. I can't remember the last time listening to someone's music actually made me feel a hell of a lot better about myself. It's hard to believe that she's only 23. She's all about positive vibes and creating a sense of fame all your own, and her live shows are performance art delivered through pop music; a real sensory experience, and it's exactly the way pop music was meant to be before the Bubble Gum/Boy Band movement came into the late 90s. Plus, she's hot, she writes her own stuff, she sounds great live, and she designs her own outfits. She had me at, "I wanna take a ride on your disco stick." XD
I have so much school work on my plate. A proposal/ad campaign for TCF and a T.S. Eliot presentation, both due Thursday; a group discussion with three uncaring guys due either the 17th, the 20th, or the 22nd; and a lit. paper about a work of my choice due on the 23rd. And then finals - because it's incredibly important for me to get back into Honors. The sad part is that I don't even care about graduating with Honors or the slightly special treatment I'd get. I really only want priority registration. I want the best pick of classes I can get - because the more major/minor-centric our classes get, the less room there is in every class for us to try and get. So yeah - that's the only reason I want back into Honors.
Lots of crazy thoughts going on up here lately. I always have the urge to come on here and write about most of them, but I either get sidetracked or I just don't have the time or the energy. I don't write a great deal anymore, and that makes me incredibly sad. I've stopped writing movie reviews, RIGHT before I saw a few of the big Oscar contenders this year that really moved me. No idea why... I suppose I just grew lazy. But I did write a haphazard, stream of consciousness-type poem while waiting to go to a canceled class today - so that's something, I guess.
I really, really want to write a successful TV series. Something as epic as Lost, as witty as Grey's Anatomy, as hard-hitting as House... and maybe a bit as scandalous as Gossip Girl, because let's face it, scandal is just fun (unless you're in the middle of it, I know). I can't wait to take a screenwriting class, when they FINALLY offer it here. I feel like I know what I want to do, but none of the classes I'm taking really get around to helping me directly with that. The good thing is that I think I might be able to to take bits and pieces from these classes and use them to hone my skills. Minoring in Communication Studies should prove to be interesting in the future... aside from being a very desirable thing for a potential employer to spot on my resume, it might turn out to be a really useful pool of instincs to have in my pocket when I write. Whenever I start again, that is.
Anyway - I have a whole other list of things I could ramble about, but I just can't keep it up right now. I should be getting to bed. I have from 11am onward tomorrow to do the following: write an ad proposal for a business, along with a campaign that features a TV spot, a storyboard, a radio spot, and a webpage layout; figure out what the hell to dicuss with a literature class about T.S. Eliot's "The Waste Land", which is a horribly dense and pretentious piece that I hate with a passion; come up with a coherent/chronological list of shots and ideas to bring to life during the hour and fifteen minutes my group has to shoot a 2-minute short film. (Does that last one sound easy? Try it sometime and get back to me.)
Over and out. <3
- Writer's Block: The Kids' Section
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- random_beauty88
- March 16th, 10:54
- cheerful
When I was a kid, it was probably The Little Mermaid. I watched it over and over and over again.
In terms of Disney, it's certainly not my favorite now - that would be Aladdin. In terms of movies *period*... lol. NO. My favorite film is the complete opposite of what any child should watch: Requiem for a Dream.
- Everyone can see it... but only you can feel its warmth!
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- random_beauty88
- March 9th, 23:55
So I'm having one of those overwhelmingly happy nights, the kind that hits so hard that you almost want to cry because of the fact that you haven't a care in the world and everything seems very, very right. It's probably because I've just ended a week of academic hell. Three midterms, a persuasive speech, and many, many dramatic personal moments in between. Thankfully, it's over, and as of tomorrow at 3:15pm, I'll be totally free and normal again.
Clearly, though, the happiness has already sunk in. XD
Mostly, I'm excited for the St. Patty's Day party the week we come back from Spring Break. Nikki has need of the drink. :)
There really isn't much else to blog about - just wanted to express my joy.
OH... Watchmen owns. I'm very tempted to be Silk Spectre for Halloween - 'course, I'd have to get tan and lose at least 10 pounds, and being Blair Waldorf from GG would be easier - but it's a thought. The movie was just so good - and I'm looking forward to reading my copy of the graphic novel, FINALLY.
And I'd like to express that I'm slightly disturbed by the fact that Michelle thinks my Pepsi bottle looks like a chicken, LMAO...
- Writer's Block: More Island Time
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- random_beauty88
- March 3rd, 18:32
hungry
You're packing your bag for that other desert island—the one with no electricity—what 5 books do you take with you?
Submitted By
mika_uriah
1. 1984 by George Orwell (FAVORITE.)
2. Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky
3. Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
5. Four Past Midnight by Stephen King
